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definitions

husband

[huhz-buhnd]
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noun

a married man, especially when considered in relation to his partner in marriage.
British. a manager.
Archaic. a prudent or frugal manager.

verb (used with object)

to manage, especially with prudent economy.
to use frugally; conserve: to husband one's resources.
Archaic.
  1. to be or become a husband to; marry.
  2. to find a husband for.
  3. to till; cultivate.

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RELATED WORDS

partner, spouse, companion, consort, groom, bridegroom, helpmate, mate, monogamist, hubby

Nearby words

  1. hurtlessly,
  2. hus,
  3. husain,
  4. husayn ʿalī mīrzā,
  5. husb.,
  6. husbandage,
  7. husbandman,
  8. husbandry,
  9. husein ibn-ali,
  10. hush

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 (see boor) + -nd present participle suffix + -i inflectional ending)
Related formshus·band·er, nounhus·band·less, adjectiveun·hus·band·ed, adjective

Synonyms for husband

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR husband ON THESAURUS.COM
5. preserve, save, store, hoard.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for husband

British Dictionary definitions for husband

husband

noun

a woman's partner in marriage
archaic
  1. a manager of an estate
  2. a frugal person

verb

to manage or use (resources, finances, etc) thriftily
archaic
  1. (tr)to find a husband for
  2. (of a woman) to marry (a man)
(tr) obsolete to till (the soil)
Derived Formshusbander, nounhusbandless, adjective

Word Origin for husband

Old English hūsbonda, from Old Norse hūsbōndi, from hūs house + bōndi one who has a household, from bōa to dwell
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
Word Origin and History for husband
n.

Old English husbonda "male head of a household," probably from Old Norse husbondi "master of the house," from hus "house" (see house (n.)) + bondi "householder, dweller, freeholder, peasant," from buandi, present participle of bua "to dwell" (see bower). Beginning late 13c., replaced Old English wer as "married man," companion of wif, a sad loss for English poetry. Slang shortening hubby first attested 1680s.

v.

"manage thriftily," early 15c., from husband (n.) in an obsolete sense of "steward" (mid-15c.). Related: Husbanded; husbanding.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper