Word
housewife
Phoneticshouse·wife, stress on the first syllable
/ˈhaʊˌswaɪf/
Definitions
01homemaker
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a woman who manages her own home and family as her main job.
n. a woman whose primary occupation is domestic management and child-rearing within her own home.
“In the 1950s, it was very common for a woman to be a housewife.”
“While the term housewife was standard in mid-century census data, modern sociological discourse prefers gender-neutral terms like homemaker or stay-at-home parent.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02sewing kit
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · British English
n. a small bag or case used for holding needles, thread, and other sewing tools.
n. a small case or pouch designed to hold sewing implements such as needles, thread, and scissors.
“She kept a small housewife in her travel bag to fix loose buttons.”
“The soldier carried a compact housewife in his kit to perform emergency repairs on his uniform during the campaign.”
Synonyms
Usage
Commonly used in historical or traditional contexts; may be perceived as old-fashioned or reductive in modern professional settings.
Etymology
From Middle English houswyf, housewif, huswijf, equivalent to house + wife; a doublet of hussy, which it was long distinguished from and displaced due to gradual negative connotation (see Online Etymology Dictionary entry). Cognate with West Frisian húswiif, Dutch huiswijf, German Low German Huuswief, German Hausweib.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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