housewife

[hous-wahyf, huhz-if]

noun

plural

housewives 

1. Sometimes Offensive.,  a married woman who manages her own household, especially as her principal occupation.

2. British.,  a sewing box; a small case or box for needles, thread, etc.

verb (used with or without object)

housewifed, housewifing 

1. Archaic.,  to manage with efficiency and economy, as a household.

housewife

/ ˈhaʊsˌwɪfərɪ, -ˌwɪfrɪ, ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf /

noun

1. a woman, typically a married woman, who keeps house, usually without having paid employment

2. Also called: hussy.  huswife. a small sewing kit issued to soldiers

Sensitive Note

Most people, married or unmarried, find the term housewife perfectly acceptable. But it is sometimes perceived as insulting, perhaps because it implies a lowly status (“She’s just a housewife”) or because it defines an occupation in terms of a woman's relation to a man. Homemaker is a fairly common substitute.

Other Word Forms

• housewifery noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of housewife¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English hus(e)wif; house, wife

Example Sentences

Social media’s entire “tradwife” genre is about professional content creators pretending to be submissive housewives to sell advertising.

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She was described as an average housewife and mother whose conversion to radical politics seemed an unlikely twist.

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She portrayed herself as a housewife who believed a woman’s “most important ministry” is the home.

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Before stepping in front of the cameras, the London housewives sought advice from women who had previously been in their positions.

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He has called on women to forgo education and careers so they can instead focus on being submissive housewives.

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Related Words

• homemaker