spouse
Americannoun
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
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.
Together, they relive the night Clark’s wife left, with Mary acting as his former spouse.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
Is the key to conjugal bliss to find a spouse who never disagrees with you?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Declining marriage rates among people in their 20s and 30s is leading to lower birth rates, while older people tend to live alone after their spouse dies.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
A surviving spouse who claims early receives a reduced amount.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
Apparently the red carnations from her spouse are a family tradition.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
