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significant other
noun
: a person who is important to one's well-being
especially
: a spouse or one in a similar relationship
Examples of significant other in a Sentence
Before you make such an important decision, you should talk it over with your significant other.
she has threatened to divorce her significant other if he doesn't stop gambling
Recent Examples on the Web
The influence of Saturn, however, emphasizes the boundaries or lack thereof between you and a significant other.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Mars—which has been agitating you during its two-month stay in Cancer so far—completes its opposition with Pluto on November 3, bringing things to a boil between you and a significant other.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2024
The best way to show your friend, family member, or significant other that?
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 17 Oct. 2024
Our tendency to rewrite the past can annoy our friends and significant others.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1940, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of significant other was
in 1940
Dictionary Entries Near significant other
Cite this Entry
“Significant other.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/significant%20other. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
significant other
noun
significant oth·er
-ˈət͟h-ər
: a person who is important to one's well-being
especially
: a spouse or one in a similar relationship
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