spouses
spouses — noun
- spousessingular
- spousesesplural
1. the man or woman that someone is married to — used as a formal or gender-neutral
the man or woman that someone is married to — used as a formal or gender-neutral term for a husband or wife.
After twenty years of marriage, Ryo still brings his spouse coffee in bed every morning.
possessive: his spouse
The hospital policy allows a patient's spouse to stay overnight in the room.
noun phrase: patient's spouse
My brother and his spouse are planning to adopt a child from Colombia.
When filling out the visa form, please write your spouse's full name in this box.
Amani and her spouse run a small bakery together near the train station.
- partner
less formal; can refer to an unmarried long-term partner
- husband
male-specific; more natural in casual talk
- wife
female-specific; more natural in casual talk
- better half
informal and humorous; not used in official contexts
文法句型
possessive + spouse
spouse + of + noun
用法筆記
Countable noun. Refers to either a husband or a wife. In everyday conversation, 'husband' or 'wife' is more natural; 'spouse' sounds formal and is common on official forms or in legal contexts.
常見錯誤
spouses — verb
- spousespresent simple I / you / we / they
- spouseses3rd person singular
- spousesing-ing form
- spousesedpast simple
1. to take someone as a husband or wife in a formal wedding ceremony — used in hist
to take someone as a husband or wife in a formal wedding ceremony — used in historical writing, literature, or formal contexts; the modern equivalent is 'marry'.
According to legend, the young knight spoused the queen in a secret ceremony.
formal register: active transitive with noble subject
The royal chronicle records that Prince Hal spoused Lady Catherine in 1423.
In the old ballad, the fisherman spoused the mermaid despite the king's warning.
The old church records show that Andrés spoused Tamar in the spring of 1689.
- divorce
the legal opposite of marrying
文法句型
spouse + someone
be spoused to + someone (passive)
用法筆記
Rare in modern everyday English. Almost always replaced by 'marry' or 'get married to' in contemporary speech. Typically found in historical fiction, period dramas, or archaic religious texts.