housewife

noun

house·​wife ˈhau̇s-ˌwīf How to pronounce housewife (audio)
especially in sense 2 and in early poetry
ˈhə-zəf How to pronounce housewife (audio)
 or  -səf
plural housewives ˈhau̇s-ˌwīvz How to pronounce housewife (audio)
also
ˈhau̇z-ˌwīvz How to pronounce housewife (audio)
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 noun
housewifely adjective
housewifery
ˈhau̇s-ˌwī-f(ə-)rē How to pronounce housewife (audio)
 British  -(ˌ)wi-f(ə-)rē
 also  ˈhə-zə-frē
noun
housewifey adjective

Examples of housewife in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His father was an accountant who had been a conscientious objector during the Second World War, and his mother was a housewife and strict vegetarian. Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025 But if Shauna was this awful and domineering and scary in the teen timeline, why has she been treated like a normal housewife by her fellow survivors this whole time? Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 His father, Charles, was a salesman for a company that sold fixtures to supermarkets, and his mother, Elsa, was a housewife who played the piano. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2025 Charisse Jackson Jordan, an OG housewife, has also been lingering on the outskirts for seasons—could this be her chance to reclaim a full-time spot? Shelby Stewart, Essence, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for housewife

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of housewife was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Housewife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housewife. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

housewife

noun
house·​wife ˈhau̇-ˌswīf How to pronounce housewife (audio)
sense 2 is often
ˈhəz-əf How to pronounce housewife (audio)
ˈhəs-əf
1
: a married woman who manages her own home
2
: a small container for small articles (as thread)
housewifeliness noun
housewifely adjective
housewifery noun

More from Merriam-Webster on housewife

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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