husband

American  

[huhz-buhnd] / ˈhʌz bənd /

noun

1. a married man, especially when considered in relation to his partner in marriage.

2. British. a manager.

3. Archaic. a prudent or frugal manager.

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verb (used with object)

1. to manage, especially with prudent economy.

2. to use frugally; conserve.

   to husband one's resources.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, store, save, preserve

3. Archaic.

   1. to be or become a husband to; marry.

   2. to find a husband for.

   3. to till; cultivate.

husband British  

/ ˈhʌzbənd /

noun

1. a woman's partner in marriage

2. archaic

   1. a manager of an estate

   2. a frugal person

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verb

1. to manage or use (resources, finances, etc) thriftily

2. archaic

   1. (tr) to find a husband for

   2. (of a woman) to marry (a man)

3. obsolete (tr) to till (the soil)

Other Word Forms

• husbander noun
• husbandless adjective
• unhusbanded adjective

Etymology

Origin of husband

before 1000; Middle English husband ( e ), Old English hūsbonda master of the house < Old Norse hūsbōndi, equivalent to hūs house + bōndi ( bō-, variant of bū- dwell ( boor ) + -nd present participle suffix + -i inflectional ending)

Explanation

A husband is a married man. Your grandfather might joke that he and your grandmother have been husband and wife for so long because she has the patience of a saint and he is deaf as a post. The word husband comes from the Old Norse hūsbōndi, where hūs meant house and bōndi meant dweller. As a verb, husband means to conserve resources and use them frugally. Because of the flooding in the area, roads are cut off and everyone is being asked to husband their supplies. This conservation of resources sense of husband also occurs in the related noun husbandry.

Example Sentences

The mother of Mohammed Amin and Asma, Sughra, tested negative for HIV – her husband died two years ago in a road traffic accident.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

It’s also dedicated to her husband, Eli Horowitz.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

She recalled workshopping Khong’s title story a decade ago with their longtime Bay Area writers group — about a newlywed who dies, goes to heaven and encounters her husband there again.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

While Walter Hunt’s daughter dissuaded her father from obtaining a sewing-machine patent, Elias Howe Jr.’s wife inspired her husband to get one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

She clasps her husband Simón’s elbow and says she can go no farther.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• companion
• partner
• spouse