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Synonyms

breadwinner

American  
[bred-win-er] / ˈbrɛdˌwɪn ər /

noun

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


breadwinner British  
/ ˈbrɛdˌwɪnə /

noun

  1. 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

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.

The filmmaker, known for "The Breadwinner" and "The Black Tulip", said she was working to help bring people to safety after having calls from Afghans still in the country.

From Reuters • Aug. 24, 2021

Had he been allowed to stand up, he certainly would have obscured Breadwinner director Nora Twomey and make-up artist David Malinowski at the very least, who were right behind him.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2018

Nora Twomey's "The Breadwinner," adapted from Deborah Ellis' novel about brave Afghan girl Parvana, has racked up major honors from critics and animation groups worldwide.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2018

But smaller domestic dramas like Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, and The Breadwinner were also powerful for me, and so were metaphor-loaded movies like I, Tonya and Mother!

From The Verge • Dec. 28, 2017

So far, The Breadwinner is fairly civilized drawing room farce.

From Time Magazine Archive

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