noun
spouse
spows
noun
1
A husband or wife; the person someone is married to.
"Please list your spouse’s name on the form."
"They travelled together with their spouses."
How to Use Spouse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA neutral, formal word for a husband or wife.
When to use it
More formal/legal-sounding than "husband" or "wife" — common on official paperwork.
Common pairings
surviving spouse
spouse visa
Word Forms
spoused past tense, spouses plural, spouses singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “spouse”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please list your _____’s name on the form.
Etymology
From Old French espous/espose, itself from Latin sponsus/sponsa ("betrothed"), related to "espouse" and "sponsor".