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# spouse

noun (a spouse, spouses)

«spouse» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Your spouse is the person you are married to: your husband or your wife. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#m1)
2. (formal, law) The word used on forms and in law for a married partner, whatever their sex. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#m2)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x1)
- Each guest may bring their spouse to the dinner. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x2)
- In the law, a spouse can inherit money when their husband or wife dies. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x3)
- My aunt and her spouse live in Dublin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x4)
- The king's spouse is called the queen consort. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x5)
- Spouses often share a bank account. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x6)
- The teacher wrote «spouse» on the family-tree worksheet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x7)
- "My darling dear, my life-long spouse! now will I never part from thee!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/#x8)

### 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.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «spouse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spouse/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spouse» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spouse.html) on Mova free.