spouse
part of speech
noun (a spouse, spouses)
meaning for a pupil
1) Your spouse is the person you are married to: your husband or your wife. tree →
2) (formal, law) The word used on forms and in law for a married partner, whatever their sex. tree →
sense in the lessons
In everyday talk people say husband, wife or partner; «spouse» is the word on official forms, in law and in stiff writing. Children meet it in forms, stories about weddings and family trees. Phrases: «spouse or partner», «his spouse», «a surviving spouse» (one whose husband or wife has died).
examples
- The form asks for your name and your spouse's name. tree →
- Each guest may bring their spouse to the dinner. tree →
- In the law, a spouse can inherit money when their husband or wife dies. tree →
- My aunt and her spouse live in Dublin. tree →
- The king's spouse is called the queen consort. tree →
- Spouses often share a bank account. tree →
- The teacher wrote «spouse» on the family-tree worksheet. tree →
- "My darling dear, my life-long spouse! now will I never part from thee!" tree →
note
Countable, formal. Plural: spouses. Not used for a boyfriend or girlfriend who is not married to you (that is «partner»). Gender-neutral: a spouse may be a husband or a wife.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «spouse» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.