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 ( see boor) + -nd present participle suffix + -i inflectional ending)

Explanation

A husband is a married man. Your grandfather might joke that he and your grandmother have been husband and wife for so long because she has the patience of a saint and he is deaf as a post. The word husband comes from the Old Norse hūsbōndi, where hūs meant house and bōndi meant dweller. As a verb, husband means to conserve resources and use them frugally. Because of the flooding in the area, roads are cut off and everyone is being asked to husband their supplies. This conservation of resources sense of husband also occurs in the related noun husbandry.

Example Sentences

Canadian actress Malin Akerman and her husband, Jack Donnelly, have brought their longtime Los Angeles hideaway to the market for $2.99 million—more than 15 years after purchasing the “idyllic” abode.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

McArthur and Blanchard, along with Blanchard’s husband, were expelled for life.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

The case was brought by Albanese's husband, Massimiliano Cali on behalf of their child, a US citizen who is still a minor.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Manilow and his husband and longtime manager, Garry Kief, moved to this sprawling desert estate from Los Angeles in the late 1990s.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Mrs. Choi—Autumn’s mother—smiles at me from behind her husband.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• companion
• partner
• spouse