spouse
noun
verb (used with object), spoused, spous·ing.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Origin of spouse
OTHER WORDS FROM spouse
spousehood, nounspouseless, adjectiveun·spoused, adjectiveWords nearby spouse
VOCAB BUILDER
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.
Where does spouse come from?
The first records of the word spouse come from the 1100s. It comes from the Latin terms spōnsus and spōnsa, meaning “betrothed man” and “betrothed woman.” These terms derive from the Latin verb spondēre, “to pledge.”
A spouse is the person who has pledged to wed another person and be united in marriage with that person, usually in some official way. This union is formally called wedlock. Fittingly, wed, wedlock, and wedding are all based on a word that means “pledge.”
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to spouse?
- spousal (adjective)
- spousehood (noun)
What are some synonyms for spouse?
What are some words that often get used in discussing spouse?
How is spouse used in real life?
Spouse is perhaps most commonly used in formal or official contexts as a way of referring to a marriage partner in a gender-neutral way.
Participants needed for study on pandemic’s impact on veterans and their spouses https://t.co/QG8bONRbNF
— CTV London (@CTVLondon) October 16, 2020
An #IRS wedding tip: If tying the knot means you and your spouse now have two incomes, use the #IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to calculate the right amount of tax withholding for you this year. https://t.co/3fQSlsYHt3 pic.twitter.com/dGvFECAfzz
— IRS #COVIDreliefIRS (@IRSnews) October 14, 2020
Every day is mental health awareness day when you have a diagnosis. Often times, though, you’d never know just by looking at us. We have friends, and jobs, and kids, and spouses. We laugh, and smile, and cry, and yell. We struggle but we are not defined by our brain chemistry. pic.twitter.com/TaD1qcjF2F
— Katie Leslie (@katieliz28) October 10, 2020
Try using spouse!
Is spouse used correctly in the following sentence?
The event is open to employees and their spouses.