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

Derived Forms

• husbandless
  adjective
• husbander
  noun
• 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 ( see 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

My husband was 82 when he passed away.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

A widow whose husband was killed in a car accident by a negligent driver but who could not bring a lawsuit because of a federal statute preserving governmental immunity.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

The pensioner was forced out of her County Durham Post Office in 2003 - despite her late husband Oswall paid more than £50,000 of their savings to cover non-existent shortfalls.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

But this stern, commanding figure is at odds with the deeply loving husband he has just become.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 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