What does husband mean?
A husband is a married man, usually understood as the husband of a particular woman or couple. The noun is fully standard in everyday British and American English and commonly appears in expressions such as husband and wife. Husband also functions as a verb meaning to manage, tend, or handle something with care. This use can suggest preserving resources, cultivating a relationship or talent, or making economical use of what one has: one can husband money, a vineyard, or a fragile resource. The verb often carries a slightly formal or traditional tone, but its sense of careful stewardship is well established. In general use, it is more specific than simply managing, because it implies attention, restraint, and regard for long-term value. The word is also notable historically: its Old English ancestor combined the words for “house” and “bound,” originally referring to the male head of a household.
A married man, especially the man married to a particular woman.
"Her husband is a veterinarian."
The feminine counterpart is wife; in general reference, husband is commonly used in the paired expression husband and wife.
To manage, tend, preserve, or use something carefully and economically.
"Farmers in the region husband the vines and surrounding soil with great care."
The verb has a somewhat formal or traditional tone and often implies long-term care rather than brief handling.
Use the regular plural when referring to multiple married men.
"The two brothers are husbands and fathers."
The word husband began as a compound meaning a “house-bound man”: someone bound to the responsibilities of a household.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does husband come from?
Husband comes from Old English hūsbōndi, a compound of hūs, “house,” and bound, “bound” or “tied.” It originally denoted the master or governor of a household, a sense that developed into the modern word for a married man. The verb meaning to tend or manage carefully also developed from the idea of caring for a household and its resources.
Related word forms
How husband is actually used
As a noun, husband is standard in everyday British and American English. As a verb, it often conveys careful management, conservation, or preservation and has a somewhat formal or traditional tone; the phrase husband and wife is more idiomatic than simply husbands and wives when referring to couples generally.
Easily confused with husband
Husband is the noun for a married man and can also be a verb meaning to manage carefully, whereas husbandry refers to the management of a household, farm, or resources.