spouse
Americannoun
-
spouses
plural
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Usage
What does spouse mean? Someone’s spouse is the person who they’re married to—their partner in marriage. A spouse who’s a man is often called a husband, while a spouse who’s a woman is often called a wife. The word partner is a gender-neutral way to refer to one’s spouse. People most commonly use one of these terms when talking about or introducing their spouse, as opposed to using the word spouse. The word spouse is more commonly used in formal or official contexts, such as on forms that require family relations to be specified. An adjective form of spouse is spousal, meaning relating to or involving marriage, as in Does this insurance plan provide spousal coverage?Example: If you and your spouse file your taxes jointly, you may be eligible for certain rebates.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of spouse
First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the noun) Middle English, from Old French spous (masculine), spouse (feminine), shortened from espous, espouse, from Latin spōnsus, spōnsa, literally, “pledged (man, woman),” noun uses of past participle of spondēre “to pledge”; (for the verb) Middle English spousen, from Old French esp(o)user; cf. espouse
Explanation
A spouse is your companion, your mate, your partner. In ye olden times, spouse was used as a verb meaning “to marry,” but nowadays, it functions as a noun referring to either husband or wife. Your spouse is often called "your better half." What we call adultery used to be referred to as spouse-breach in the early 13th century. American pediatrician Benjamin Spock said, “The surest measure of a man's or a woman's maturity is the harmony, style, joy, and dignity he creates in his marriage, and the pleasure and inspiration he provides for his spouse.” So, avoid that spouse-breaching at all costs, and till death do you part.
Vocabulary lists containing spouse
It's All in the Family
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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:
And, when a person dies, they can currently transfer this tax-free allowance to a surviving spouse or civil partner which increases the combined threshold for a couple to £650k.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Couples who exercised together also reported better listening and stronger feelings that their spouse heard and supported them.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
During his tenure, Kelker-Kelly portrayed the spouse of Hope Brady and love interest of Lisa Rinna’s Billie Reed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
If an employee wants to go on Medicare at 65, a younger spouse might not be eligible for the workplace insurance and won’t be able to start Medicare until 65.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
When an adult member of the community applied for a spouse, the committee pondered for months, sometimes even years, making the selection, matching the characteristics—energy level, intelligence, industriousness, other traits—that would make two people compatible.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
According to the petition, the estranged spouses married Oct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
New research from BYU suggests it may also offer benefits for marriage, particularly when spouses are active together.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
The spouses and children of applicants can also secure citizenship, in exchange for a contribution of $100,000 to the Treasury, or $25,000 if they are under 18 years of age.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Things became "very difficult indeed" in the marriage early on, Earl Spencer writes, adding that he is "sure that both spouses despaired of the other at times".
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Some, older than Claire, had spouses and dwellings, and left at the end of the day s work.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
To followe pleasure, and the beastlie mocions of the mynde: what libertée call you that, to liue in a godly, meane, The libertie in mariage. and Mediocritée of life, with thy spoused wife.
From A booke called the Foundacion of Rhetorike because all other partes of Rhetorike are grounded thereupon, euery parte sette forthe in an Oracion vpon questions, verie profitable to bee knowen and redde by Richard Rainolde
SIR Clerk of Oxenford," our Hoste said, "Ye ride as still and coy, as doth a maid That were new spoused, sitting at the board: This day I heard not of your tongue a word.
From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by D. Laing Purves
The unworthy suit, She scorned, from childhood spoused in heart to Christ: She fled: upon the river lay a boat: She rowed it on through forests many a mile; A month had passed since then.
From Legends of the Saxon Saints by Aubrey De Vere
Thou shalt be spoused to fair Gwendoline; Love her, and take her, for she is thine own, If so thy uncle and her self do please.
From Locrine/Mucedorus by Shakespeare (spurious and doubtful works)
And right as Rachel and Leah were both wives unto Jacob, right so man's soul through light of knowing in the reason, and sweetness of love in the affection, is spoused unto God.
From The Cell of Self-Knowledge : seven early English mystical treatises printed by Henry Pepwell in 1521 by Edmund Garratt Gardner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
