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Today it means

husband

a married man, in relation to his spouse

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Where does the word "husband" come from? It comes from Old Norse husbondi, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

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Where does the word "husband" come from? It comes from Old Norse husbondi, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Husband’s story begins in Old Norse: husbondi meant “the master of a household.” Literally house dweller, from hus (house) and bondi (dweller, farmer). It reached English by 1200s as husband. Narrowed over time to mean specifically a married man. Today, husband means a married man, in relation to his spouse.

  1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval husbondi "the master of a household", literally house dweller, from hus (house) and bondi (dweller, farmer).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s husband "a married man", narrowed over time to mean specifically a married man.

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