husband

American  

[huhz-buhnd] / ˈhʌz bənd /

noun

1. a married man, especially when considered in relation to his partner in marriage.

2. British. a manager.

3. Archaic. a prudent or frugal manager.

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verb (used with object)

1. to manage, especially with prudent economy.

2. to use frugally; conserve.

   to husband one's resources.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, store, save, preserve

3. Archaic.

   1. to be or become a husband to; marry.

   2. to find a husband for.

   3. to till; cultivate.

husband British  

/ ˈhʌzbənd /

noun

1. a woman's partner in marriage

2. archaic

   1. a manager of an estate

   2. a frugal person

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verb

1. to manage or use (resources, finances, etc) thriftily

2. archaic

   1. (tr) to find a husband for

   2. (of a woman) to marry (a man)

3. obsolete (tr) to till (the soil)

Other Word Forms

• husbander noun
• husbandless adjective
• unhusbanded adjective

Etymology

Origin of husband

before 1000; Middle English husband ( e ), Old English hūsbonda master of the house < Old Norse hūsbōndi, equivalent to hūs house + bōndi ( bō-, variant of bū- dwell ( boor ) + -nd present participle suffix + -i inflectional ending)

Example Sentences

By Christmas break, she was ready to hop on a cruise with her husband, where she wore a dress that made her feel “very J. Lo.”

From The Wall Street Journal

When she couldn’t remember definitions of basic insurance terms, her husband suggested sticking Post-it Notes on her computer.

From The Wall Street Journal

Her husband worked at Concorde Career Colleges, which focus on healthcare training, and he had encouraged her to look into its programs.

From The Wall Street Journal

I see my daughter texting her friends and my husband texting ChatGPT.

From The Wall Street Journal

She had gone out for her "last night out in Felixstowe" on the 17 September before she and her husband went on a six-month honeymoon.

From BBC

Related Words

• companion
• partner
• spouse