housewife
UK[ˈhaʊswaɪf]US[ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf]
n
A woman whose main occupation is caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework, typically without being employed outside the home.
Morpheme Breakdown
house
wife
house
dwelling
wife
woman
Etymology
The word "housewife" is a transparent compound from Old English, formed from the nouns hūs (house) and wīf (woman). Its original, literal sense was simply "woman of the house" or "mistress of the household," a role central to domestic management in pre-industrial societies. Over time, the term's semantic scope narrowed, becoming strongly associated with the specific social role of a married woman who manages the home and family as her primary occupation. This evolution reflects the historical division of labor and the cultural idealization of the domestic sphere for women, with the modern meaning solidifying by the late Middle English period.
Analysis
Structure: house (dwelling) + wife (woman)
- house: From Old English hūs (dwelling, shelter, house), of Germanic origin.
- wife: From Old English wīf (woman, female), of Germanic origin.
Examples
She chose to be a housewife and focus on raising her children.
The magazine offers practical advice for the modern housewife.
Managing the budget is an important skill for any housewife.