homemaker

American  

[hohm-mey-ker] / ˈhoʊmˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person who manages the household of their own family, especially as a principal occupation.

2. a person employed to manage a household and do household chores for others, as for the sick or elderly.

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homemaker British  

/ ˈhəʊmˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person, esp a housewife, who manages a home

2. a social worker who manages a household during the incapacity of the housewife

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Sensitive Note

See housewife.

Other Word Forms

• homemaking noun

Etymology

Origin of homemaker

First recorded in 1885–90; home + maker

Example Sentences

The homemaker from Richmond, Virginia said she was "sad for the families" of US soldiers who have lost their lives so far.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Born in 1938 to a dentist and a homemaker, Judy Sussman grew up around adults who devoured books and could speak frankly about the human body.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

His father, William “Skip” Pratt, is a dentist, and his mother, Janet, a homemaker.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

His mother was a homemaker and his father worked in scrap metal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

His father had been a military man, his mother a homemaker, solidly middle class.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times