housewife

== English == === Alternative forms === house-wife (archaic) houswife, huswife (both obsolete) === 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. === Pronunciation === Person IPA(key): /ˈhaʊs.waɪf/ (obsolete, dialectal, poetic) IPA(key): /ˈhʌzwaɪf/, /ˈhʌz(w)ɪf/ Bag IPA(key): /ˈhʌzɪf/ === Noun === housewife (plural housewives or housewifes) (see notes below about plurals) (plural "housewives") A woman whose main employment is homemaking, maintaining the upkeep of her home and tending to household affairs; often, such a woman whose sole [unpaid] employment is homemaking. Synonym: (archaic) henhussy Hypernym: homemaker Coordinate term: househusband 2000, Uli Kusch, "Mr. Torture", Helloween, The Dark Ride (plural "housewives") The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household. (plural "housewifes") A little case or bag for materials used in sewing, and for other articles of female work. Synonym: hussy (plural "housewives", obsolete) A worthless woman; a hussy. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === housewife (third-person singular simple present housewifes, present participle housewifing, simple past and past participle housewifed) Alternative form of housewive.