a woman, typically a married woman, who keeps house, usually without having paid employment - Also called: hussy, huswife /
ˈhʌzɪf/ , hussif /ˈhʌsɪf/ a small sewing kit issued to soldiers
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
house•wife /ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -wives.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- a married woman who manages her own household.
house•wife
(hous′wīf′ or, usually, huz′if for 2),USA pronunciation n., pl. -wives (-wīvz′),USA pronunciation v., -wifed, -wif•ing.
n.
v.t., v.i.
n.
- a married woman who manages her own household, esp. as her principal occupation.
- British Termsa sewing box;
a small case or box for needles, thread, etc.
v.t., v.i.
- [Archaic.]to manage with efficiency and economy, as a household.
- Middle English hus(e)wif. See house, wife 1175–1225
- 1. Housewife is offensive to some, perhaps because of an implied contrast with career woman ( just a housewife) and perhaps because it defines an occupation in terms of a woman's relation to a man. Homemaker is a common substitute.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'housewife' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
baleboste
- bonne femme
- canny
- hausfrau
- homemaker
- houseperson
- housewifely
- housewifery
- hussy
- wife