housewife

noun

1. 1

   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.

   2000, Uli Kusch, "Mr. Torture", Helloween, The Dark Ride Mr Torture sells pain / To the housewives in Spain / He knows just what they crave / Mr Torture

2. 2

   The wife of a householder; the mistress of a family; the female head of a household.

3. 3

   A little case or bag for materials used in sewing, and for other articles of female work.

   It was a housewife, containing needles, a bodkin, and thread; ‘and, do you know,’ added he, ‘it was the most useful thing she could have given me, for it lasted all the time I was at Rome to mend my clothes with […].’

   Woffington's housewife, made by herself, homely to the eye, but holds everything in the world

   The "soldier's housewife" was a small sewing kit that was carried to make timely repairs to clothing and equipment.

4. 4

   obsoleteA worthless woman; a hussy.

verb

1. 1

   Variant of housewiveAlternative form of housewive.

   Career opportunity […] is the one who never knocks — especially not on the doors of women, who are still hooking, housewifing and hairdressing for their livings.

Forms

plural

housewives, housewifes

past tense

housewifed

past participle

housewifed

present participle

housewifing

third person singular

housewifes