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

The latest season is possibly the most unhinged yet, and given season two featured one of the housewives getting arrested by the FBI for wire fraud on camera, that’s truly saying something. —Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024

As for the formal housewives, there are four joining this season: Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives of New York City), Chanel Ayan (The Real Housewives of Dubai), Dolores Catania (The Real Housewives of New Jersey), and Robyn Dixon (The Real Housewives of Potomac). —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024

By the turn of the century, Hiller writes, these domestic workers headed elsewhere to earn their wages, leaving the housewives to tend to kitchen affairs. —Michelle Mastro, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024

The film stars Cate Blanchett as the eponymous unhappy housewife, a woman who unexpectedly falls for Therese (Rooney Mara), a store clerk. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 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