housewife

noun

house·​wife ˈhau̇s-ˌwīf 

 especially in sense 2 and in early poetry  ˈhə-zəf,

or

-səf 

plural housewives ˈhau̇s-ˌwīvz 

 also  ˈhau̇z-ˌwīvz;

ˈhə-zəfs,

-zəvz,

-səfs,

-səvz

1

: a married woman in charge of a household

2

: a pocket-size container for small articles (such as thread)

housewifeliness

ˈhau̇s-ˌwīf-lē-nəs 

noun

housewifely

ˈhau̇s-ˌwīf-lē 

adjective

housewifery

ˈhau̇s-ˌwī-f(ə-)rē 

 British  -(ˌ)wi-f(ə-)rē

 also  ˈhə-zə-frē

noun

housewifey

ˈhau̇s-ˌwī-fē 

adjective

Examples of housewife in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Munni Ghosh, a Hindu housewife in Dhaka, said that attacks have grown since Hasina fled. —Krutika Pathi, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2024

In fact, the part of Mabel, housewife to ornery construction worker Nick (played by Peter Falk) and mother to three rather unruly kids, was originally written by Cassavetes for the theater. —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2024

Affiliated with Korea’s CJ Group, CJ CGV Vietnam also distributed the Vietnamese-language Camera d’Or winner Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell last year. Don’t Cry Butterfly follows a 45-year old housewife, Tam, who learns through live TV that her husband is having an affair. —Sara Merican, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2024

Gena Rowlands was born and raised in Cambria, Wisconsin Rowlands was born in 1930 and raised in Cambria, Wisconsin, as the daughter of a housewife and actress mother and politician father. —Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

housewife

noun

house·​wife ˈhau̇-ˌswīf 

sense 2 is often

ˈhəz-əf 

ˈhəs-əf

1

: a married woman who manages her own home

2

: a small container for small articles (as thread)

housewifeliness

ˈhau̇-ˌswī-flē-nəs 

noun

housewifely

-flē 

adjective

housewifery

ˈhau̇-ˌswī-fə-rē 

-frē

noun