home economics

American  

noun

1. the art and science of home management.

2. a college curriculum usually including studies in nutrition, the purchase, preparation, and service of food, interior design, clothing and textiles, child development, family relationships, and household economics.

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home economics British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular or plural) the study of diet, budgeting, child care, textiles, and other subjects concerned with running a home

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Other Word Forms

• home economist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of home economics

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

home economics

She also organized the annual Lake Placid Conference from 1899 to 1908, which defined the field of home economics and framed domestic work as worthy of research and public funding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

For much of the 1900s, family and consumer sciences, more broadly known as home economics, were a staple of educational curricula in most American communities.

From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2026

“It doesn’t,” replied Ms. Martin, who is also a Republican and taught home economics for 18 years at the Pittsburg School down the road.

From New York Times ● Jan. 22, 2024

"But the main issue I have is that they have no facilities - no music, no home economics, they have to go to the local park for their PE sessions."

From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2023

Today, my home economics teacher is teaching us how to sew aprons.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson