Nearby Words

housewife

[hous-wahyf or, usually, huhz-if for 2]

house·wife

[hous-wahyf or, usually, huhz-if for 2] noun, plural -wives [-wahyvz] , verb, -wifed, -wif·ing.
noun
1.
a married woman who manages her own household, especially as her principal occupation.
2.
British. a sewing box; a small case or box for needles, thread, etc.
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
3.
Archaic. to manage with efficiency and economy, as a household.

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Housewife is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
to flee; abscond:

Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English hus(e)wif. See house, wife

homemaker, housewife (see usage note at the current entry).


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.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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World English Dictionary
housewife (ˈhaʊsˌwaɪf)
 
n , pl -wives
1.  a woman, typically a married woman, who keeps house, usually without having paid employment
2.  chiefly (Brit) hussy, Also called: huswife a small sewing kit issued to soldiers
 
housewifery
 
n

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