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.
The next day, her mother and ex-RHOBH housewife Yolanda Hadid posted her own carousel, which showed an ill Bella in a hospital environment undergoing a procedure. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 Saint John wasn't the first to speak about this condition, as housewives from New York, Potomac and Atlanta also have shared their journeys through the years. Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 Crowley played mother of four Joan Nash, who blew past traditional housewife tropes and worked as a freelance newspaper columnist. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025 Her mother, a housewife, dropped her off at school in a Mercedes. Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 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 21 Sep. 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

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