spouse
Americannoun
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either member of a married pair in relation to the other; one's husband or wife.
verb (used with object)
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Obsolete. to join, give, or take in marriage.
noun
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a person's partner in marriage
verb
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obsolete (tr) to marry
Usage
What does spouse mean? Someone’s spouse is the person who they’re married to—their partner in marriage.A spouse who’s a man is often called a husband, while a spouse who’s a woman is often called a wife. The word partner is a gender-neutral way to refer to one’s spouse. People most commonly use one of these terms when talking about or introducing their spouse, as opposed to using the word spouse. The word spouse is more commonly used in formal or official contexts, such as on forms that require family relations to be specified.An adjective form of spouse is spousal, meaning relating to or involving marriage, as in Does this insurance plan provide spousal coverage?Example: If you and your spouse file your taxes jointly, you may be eligible for certain rebates.
Other Word Forms
- spousehood noun
- spouseless adjective
- unspoused adjective
Etymology
Origin of spouse
First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the noun) Middle English, from Old French spous (masculine), spouse (feminine), shortened from espous, espouse, from Latin spōnsus, spōnsa, literally, “pledged (man, woman),” noun uses of past participle of spondēre “to pledge”; (for the verb) Middle English spousen, from Old French esp(o)user; espouse
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Her name was Carroll - the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie. And we would like to call it Carroll."
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
A marital or “A” trust is an irrevocable trust that gives the surviving spouse complete control over the assets.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
You’re with your spouse for more than 60% of adulthood.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Todd Bridges has taken steps to make his split from Bettijo Hirschi official after announcing in January that he and his spouse had separated.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
When we marry, one spouse has to take the other’s surname, or both have to take a new one.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.