Husband Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide

Meaning 1：married man (husband)

husband 🔊

/ˈhʌzbənd/

A man who is married to a woman; a married man.

Husband and wife smiling in cozy living room scene

married man 🔊

➕

/ˈmær.id mæn/

A man who is legally married to a woman, typically considered a partner in a marital relationship.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English hūsbonda (hūs 'house' + bōnda 'dweller'), originally meaning 'master of a house'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'hus-band' – a man who is the 'band' (bond) of the house, uniting family and home.

📖 Example

My husband surprised me by cleaning the entire kitchen while I was out. 🔊 My husband surprised me by cleaning the entire kitchen while I was out.

🔗 Collocations

loving husband – a husband who shows affection and care

devoted husband – a husband who is loyal and dedicated to his spouse

future husband – a man who will become one's husband in the future

🔄 Synonyms

spouse (n.) – a married person, used for either male or female

partner (n.) – a person in a romantic or marital relationship

better half (n.) – informal term for one's spouse, often used affectionately

🚫 Antonyms

wife (n.) – a woman who is married to a man

bachelor (n.) – an unmarried man

divorcee (n.) – a person who is divorced, not currently married

🌱 Derivatives

husbandry (n.) – the management of resources or farming

husbandly (adj.) – relating to or characteristic of a husband

📖 Cultural Story

Evolved from Old English 'hūsbonda' (householder) to Middle English 'husband' as a married man. In agrarian societies, the husband managed the household and land. Today, it signifies a male partner in a marriage.