Synonyms

breadwinner

American

[bred-win-er] / ˈbrɛdˌwɪn ər /

noun

a person who earns a livelihood, especially one who also supports dependents.

breadwinner British

/ ˈbrɛdˌwɪnə /

noun

a person supporting a family with his or her earnings

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

breadwinning noun

Etymology

Origin of breadwinner

First recorded in 1810–20; bread + winner

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.

If you’re the breadwinner and you die, you want to protect your spouse and young kids from financial hardship.

From MarketWatch

Many were - and still are - the main breadwinners in their families.

From BBC

“That would be very difficult to do because I’m the breadwinner in the household, and you get accustomed to a certain lifestyle.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The result: Most breadwinners still have jobs, and they are still spending.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023