homemaker

American  

[hohm-mey-ker] / ˈhoʊmˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person who manages the household of their own family, especially as a principal occupation.

2. a person employed to manage a household and do household chores for others, as for the sick or elderly.

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homemaker British  

/ ˈhəʊmˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person, esp a housewife, who manages a home

2. a social worker who manages a household during the incapacity of the housewife

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Sensitive Note

See housewife.

Other Word Forms

• homemaking noun

Etymology

Origin of homemaker

First recorded in 1885–90; home + maker

Example Sentences

"There would be famine and people would suffer a lot. People are suffering now, but at least with war, our fate might be clear," 60-year-old homemaker Tayebeh said.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

His father, William “Skip” Pratt, is a dentist, and his mother, Janet, a homemaker.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

His mother was a homemaker and his father worked in scrap metal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

“It’s all very strange,” said María Alejandra Álvarez, a homemaker from the city who—like many—was still unsure if Rodríguez had helped Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

His father had been a military man, his mother a homemaker, solidly middle class.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times