spouse
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Usage
What does spouse mean? Someone’s spouse is the person who they’re married to—their partner in marriage.A spouse who’s a man is often called a husband, while a spouse who’s a woman is often called a wife. The word partner is a gender-neutral way to refer to one’s spouse. People most commonly use one of these terms when talking about or introducing their spouse, as opposed to using the word spouse. The word spouse is more commonly used in formal or official contexts, such as on forms that require family relations to be specified.An adjective form of spouse is spousal, meaning relating to or involving marriage, as in Does this insurance plan provide spousal coverage?Example: If you and your spouse file your taxes jointly, you may be eligible for certain rebates.
Other Word Forms
- spousehood noun
- spouseless adjective
- unspoused adjective
Etymology
Origin of spouse
First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the noun) Middle English, from Old French spous (masculine), spouse (feminine), shortened from espous, espouse, from Latin spōnsus, spōnsa, literally, “pledged (man, woman),” noun uses of past participle of spondēre “to pledge”; (for the verb) Middle English spousen, from Old French esp(o)user; espouse
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A woman planning for her last months makes an unusual request of her spouse in Ann Packer’s novel.
In fact, the agency won’t even notify you if your former spouse or your husband’s ex-wife ends up using your records for their own benefits.
From MarketWatch
The most a person can get with spousal benefits is up to 50% of the spouse’s primary insurance amount, which is what a person gets at their Full Retirement Age.
From MarketWatch
But the program also pays out benefits to individuals who become disabled and can’t work, who lose a spouse while caring for young children, and to children whose covered parent died.
From MarketWatch
If a person dies without a will in Georgia, their estate is divided between their spouse and children — with one-third going to the spouse.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
