# housewives

/ˈhaʊˌswaɪvz/ (US) · /hˈaʊswaɪvz/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/housewives
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

married women who stay at home to manage the house and look after the family instead of working a paid job.

For teachers: plural form of 'housewife'; refers to married women whose primary occupation is managing household affairs and domestic duties.

## Examples

- Many housewives in the neighborhood meet for coffee every Tuesday morning.
- The magazine was originally designed to provide practical cooking and cleaning advice to suburban housewives during the 1950s.
- Sociologists often study how the traditional role of housewives has evolved as more women enter the professional workforce and domestic responsibilities are shared more equitably.

## Usage notes

- The plural is formed by changing the '-fe' ending of 'housewife' to '-ves'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.