houswyf
Middle English
Alternative forms
- hosewif, hoswif, hoswyf, housewif, houswif, houswife, houswyff, howsewyf, husewif, husewyfe, huswif, huswife, huswijf, huswyf, huswyfe, huswyff, hwswife
Etymology
From hous (“house, home”) + wyf (“wife, woman”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhuːzˌwiːf/, /ˈhuzˌwiːf/, /ˈhuzwif/
Noun
houswyf (plural houswyves)
- A housewife (stay-at-home wife)
- A housewife (chief woman of the household)
- (rare) A housekeeper at a poorhouse.
Descendants
References
- “hǒus-wī̆f, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.