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)

Example Sentences

Ms Armstrong said her husband passed away aged 58 from cancer in 2021, having spent his entire working life growing a dairy farm that he could leave to his loved ones.

From BBC

Her husband, a civilian, was detained for the first 3½ years of the war.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s rather mixed feelings. I have joy, joy for Belarusian people,” said dissident leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the internationally recognized winner of the 2020 elections, whose own husband numbered among those released this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gunning plays a woman grieving for her husband, while her son is also navigating his way through grief.

From BBC

See: My husband and I are both divorced.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• companion
• partner
• spouse