Husband Meant Householder, and Still Works as a Verb
A husband is a married man. The word first meant the master of a house, which is why you can still husband your resources.
A husband is a man married to someone. The Old Norse original, *húsbóndi*, meant householder — the one who keeps the house. That older sense survives in two places: *animal husbandry*, the care of livestock, and the verb *to husband*, meaning to use carefully and sparingly.
- A married man. *Her husband works nights.*
- To use resources carefully. *Husband your strength.*
- Animal husbandry — the care of farm animals. *A degree in animal husbandry.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | husband | My husband. |
| Plural | husbands | Their husbands. |
| Verb | husband | Husband the water. |
| Noun | husbandry | Good husbandry. |
| Related | spouse | Your spouse's name. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Her husband is a teacher.The ordinary sense.
- They husbanded their supplies through the winter.The verb, now formal.
- Good husbandry kept the farm going.Careful management of land and stock.
Marriage words
- Husband — a married man
- Wife — a married woman
- Spouse — either, in formal and legal writing
- Partner — neutral, and covers unmarried couples
- In-laws — relatives acquired by marriage
From Old Norse *húsbóndi*, master of a house, from *hús* (house) and *bóndi* (dweller or farmer). The marriage sense grew from the household one, not the other way round.
What does *husband your resources* mean?
To use them sparingly so they last. It preserves the original sense of careful household management.
What is animal husbandry?
The branch of agriculture concerned with breeding and caring for farm animals.