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domestic partner

domestic partner

4 3.9
A person you live with in a long-term romantic relationship but are not married to
  • noun
  • /dəˈmɛstɪk ˈpɑrtənər/
translation icon : pareja de hecho
  • To serve caregivers, lawmakers should expand the definition of family to include domestic partners, aunts and uncles, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and others (OWL, 2001).
  • register as domestic partners

Examples

  • Not all insurance policies cover domestic partners, but all of them allow you to cover your spouse.

    Blog text (7)
  • The couple had registered as domestic partners in California after entering into several agreements governing their relationship more than 20 years ago.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Joe just became a resident on Friday, and he left his domestic partner living in Williamsburg.

    Blog text (26)
  • The bill would also allow heterosexual couples to register as domestic partners.

    Academic text (1999)
  • It's true, same-sex couples can register as domestic partners, which grants them the same legal rights as married couples.

    Blog text (8)
  • The California legislature passed A.B. 26, presented by Democrat Carole Migden of San Francisco, allowing domestic partners to register with the state and requiring group health care plans to include the same benefits for domestic partners as for spouses.

    Academic text (1999)
  • U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilkin in San Francisco ruled that United Airlines must provide the same non-health benefits to domestic partners that employees' spouses receive, including bereavement, family leaves, and flight discounts.

    Academic text (1999)
  • After living together for five years, she finally introduced her domestic partner to her family.

  • They have the same rights as married couples because they are recognized as domestic partners in their state.

  • When planning their vacation, they made arrangements that would accommodate both of their needs as domestic partners.

Synonyms

partner
vsdomestic partner
878 1.1

A husband, wife, or long-term companion in a romantic relationship

is used for someone living together in a long intimate relationship without marriage
significant other
vsdomestic partner
33 3.3

A person you have a long romantic relationship with and often live with

lives with and shares a long term intimate relationship without legal marriage
spousal equivalent
vsdomestic partner
7.5

A person you live with and have a long committed relationship like a husband or wife

lives with and shares a long term intimate relationship without legal marriage
spouse equivalent
vsdomestic partner
  • NSFW
7.0

A person who lives with someone as a couple without being married

lives with and shares a long term intimate relationship without legal marriage
cohabitant
vsdomestic partner
  • NSFW
6.1

A person who lives with a romantic partner without being married

lives with and shares a long term intimate relationship without legal marriage

How Committed

spouse
272 1.0
domestic partner
4 3.9
boyfriend
1.0
roommate
  • US
611 1.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

domestic + partner

The meaning is directly built from 'domestic' (relating to the home/household) + 'partner' (a romantic or committed companion), so a learner who knows both words can infer a partner with whom one shares a household. There is a minor legal/registrational nuance (used for unmarried cohabitants), but the core sense 'a partner you live with' is transparently derivable.

Etymology

The phrase domestic partner joins domestic, meaning 'home', and partner, meaning a person you share your life with. It became a simple phrase for someone who lives with you and shares your life but is not 'married', so it means 'a person you live with in a long-term close relationship without being married'.