housewife

housewife
/hows"wuyf'/ or, usually, /huz"if/ for 2, n., pl. housewives /-wuyvz'/, v., housewifed, housewifing.
n.
1. a married woman who manages her own household, esp. as her principal occupation.
2. Brit. a sewing box; a small case or box for needles, thread, etc.
v.t., v.i.
3. Archaic. to manage with efficiency and economy, as a household.
[1175-1225; ME hus(e)wif. See HOUSE, WIFE]
Usage. 1. HOUSEWIFE is offensive to some, perhaps because of an implied contrast with career woman (just a housewife) and perhaps because it defines an occupation in terms of a woman's relation to a man. Homemaker is a common substitute.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Housewife, 49 — was a 2006 television drama based on the wartime diaries of Nella Last. Written by and starring English actress and comedian Victoria Wood, it follows the experiences of an ordinary housewife and mother in the Northern English town of Barrow in… …   Wikipedia

  • Housewife — House wife , n. [House + wife. Cf. {Hussy}.] 1. The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household. Shak. [1913 Webster] He a good husband, a good housewife she. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. (Usually pronounced ?.)… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Housewife — House wife , Housewive House wive , v. t. To manage with skill and economy, as a housewife or other female manager; to economize. [1913 Webster] Conferred those moneys on the nuns, which since they have well housewived. Fuller. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • housewife — early 13c., husewif, woman, usually married, in charge of a family or household (Cf. husebonde; see HUSBAND (Cf. husband)), from huse house (see HOUSE (Cf. house) (n.)) + wif woman (see WIFE (Cf. wife)). Also see …   Etymology dictionary

  • housewife — ► NOUN (pl. housewives) ▪ a married woman whose main occupation is caring for her family and running the household. DERIVATIVES housewifely adjective housewifery noun …   English terms dictionary

  • housewife — [hous′wīf΄; ] for 2, usually [ huz′if] n. pl. housewives [hous′wīvz΄; ] for 2, usually [ huz′ivz] [ME houswif, huswif] 1. a woman, esp. a married woman, whose principal occupation is managing a household and taking care of domestic affairs 2. a… …   English World dictionary

  • Housewife — Young Housewife, Oil on canvas. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia. Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a… …   Wikipedia

  • housewife — Huswife Hus wife, n. [OE. huswif; hus house + wif wife. Cf. {Hussy} a housewife, {Housewife}.] [Written also {housewife}.] 1. A female housekeeper; a woman who manages domestic affairs; a thirfty woman. The bounteous huswife Nature. Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • housewife — [[t]ha͟ʊswaɪf[/t]] housewives N COUNT A housewife is a married woman who does not have a paid job, but instead looks after her home and children. Married at nineteen, she was a traditional housewife and mother of four children …   English dictionary

  • housewife */ — UK [ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf] / US noun [countable] Word forms housewife : singular housewife plural housewives UK [ˈhaʊsˌwaɪvz] / US a woman who does not work outside the home and whose main job is looking after her children, cooking, cleaning etc …   English dictionary

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