spouse
Husband, wife, or married partner
The person you are married to.
[someone]'s spouse
- She listed her spouse as her emergency contact.
- Each employee’s spouse is invited to the company dinner.
- He moved to Canada to live with his spouse.
- My spouse and I both work from home now.
- My spouse is at work today.
- He lives in this city with his spouse and two children.
- Her spouse cooks dinner every night.
- I went to the party with my spouse.
Legally recognized married partner
The person the law says you are married to, used in official papers and rules.
a spouse of [someone]
- The benefit is available to the employee’s spouse and dependent children.
- Immigration rules allow a citizen’s spouse to apply for permanent residence.
- In the event of your death, your spouse will receive half of your pension.
- The policy defines a spouse as a person legally married to the insured.
- The form asks if you have a spouse.
- His spouse can use his health insurance.
- The law gives money to the surviving spouse.
- Only a legal spouse can get this visa.
To join in marriage (archaic)
To marry someone to another person. (Old use; not used in modern everyday English.)
to spouse [someone] to [someone]
- The king spoused his daughter to a foreign prince.
- She was spoused to a wealthy merchant while still young.
- Once spoused, the couple returned to their village.
- The old story says the girl was spoused to a prince.
- In this old book, the priest spoused the couple.
- This verb is archaic; people do not say "spouse" as a verb now.
- Base: spouse
- Plural: spouses
common-law spouse
1Partner treated as spouse by cohabitation
A partner who is not formally married to you, but in some places the law treats them like a spouse because you live together like a married couple.
- In some countries, a common-law spouse has rights similar to a married spouse.
- She asked whether her common-law spouse could be added to her health insurance.
estranged spouse
1Spouse who is separated
A husband or wife who is no longer living with their partner and is separated from them, often before divorce.
- He pays child support to his estranged spouse.
- Police contacted the victim’s estranged spouse for more information.
former spouse
1Ex-husband or ex-wife
A person who was your husband or wife in the past, but you are not married to them now.
- He shares custody of the children with his former spouse.
- Benefits may also be available to a former spouse in some cases.
spouse visa
1Visa for a citizen’s spouse
A visa that lets someone live in a country because they are married to a person from that country.
- He moved to the UK on a spouse visa.
- Processing times for a spouse visa can be very long.
surviving spouse
1Spouse who outlives the other
The husband or wife who is still alive after the other one has died.
- The pension will be paid to the surviving spouse after the worker’s death.
- Tickets are free for veterans and their surviving spouse.