breadwinner

American  

[bred-win-er] / ˈbrɛdˌwɪn ər /

noun

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

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breadwinner British  

/ ˈbrɛdˌwɪnə /

noun

1. a person supporting a family with his or her earnings

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Other Word Forms

• breadwinning noun

Etymology

Origin of breadwinner

First recorded in 1810–20; bread + winner

Example Sentences

After searching for a new rental property she and her partner realised they could no longer afford to stay in London, particularly as Georgie was the "predominant breadwinner".

From BBC

The welfare system attempted to replace family breadwinners, but it turned out that those breadwinners were providing more than money.

From The Wall Street Journal

One is that its stars are their family’s breadwinners.

From Salon

As the breadwinner for her family, Modica said the stress of student debt never goes away.

From Salon

She sees this most in one particular trend: More women than ever say they are the primary breadwinner— about half of families today, versus just one-third in 2021.

From MarketWatch