Words / B2

SPOWS/spaʊs/

A spouse is a husband or wife (formal, often on forms): name the spouse; a surviving spouse. Partner is wider (includes unmarried); husband / wife are specific. Name the spouse as next of kin only if named. Mix-up: sauce is food (already in the dictionary); spouse vs partner on diversity forms. Do not write spouse for a boyfriend or girlfriend unless they are married.

Meaning

A husband or wife (formal, often on forms).

Examples

• “Name the spouse as next of kin only if that is who they named, the trip form said.”
• “A spouse visa featured in the migration case study, which is the legal sense.”

Good to know

a spouse; spouse visa. Wider: partner. Trap: sauce. Forms, law, and geography. Married partner, not a condiment.

Near in meaning

partner

New