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housework

American  
[hous-wurk] / ˈhaʊsˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. the work of cleaning, cooking, etc., to be done in housekeeping.


housework British  
/ ˈhaʊsˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. the work of running a home, such as cleaning, cooking, etc

"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 housework

First recorded in 1570–80; house + work

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.

See Examples For:

Oura leads the pack here, picking up everything from housework to brief stroller jaunts.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 9, 2026

"Who else will give you 250 rupees an hour just for doing housework?" said Sriramyachandra from her kitchen in Chennai in southern India's Tamil Nadu state.

From Barron's Jun. 11, 2026

That would require men to embrace feminist behaviors like treating women as equals and doing their fair share of housework.

From Salon Apr. 13, 2026

In recent years, North Korean TV shows have featured men wearing aprons and doing housework - a sign of how much has changed there.

From BBC Mar. 1, 2026

I knew it was a rude question, but a big house needs a cook and a gardener and someone to tend to the housework.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani

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