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lady of the house

lady of the house

9 3.9
A woman who runs the home and cares for the family
  • noun
translation icon : dueña de casa
  • As the lady of the house, she makes important decisions about family meals and chores.
  • speak to the lady of the house
  • lady of the house at home

Hello lady of the house speaking.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Where's the lady of the house?

  • "Good afternoon, this is Mr. Dan, and would this be the lady of the house?"

    Fiction book (1994)
  • You truly are the lady of the house.

  • Are you the lady of the house?

  • Is the lady of the house in?

  • Meet the new lady of the house, Eleanor Young.

  • I'm the lady of the house now.

  • From her seat, she watched the small, precise movements of the lady of the house with careful interest.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The lady of the house expounded upon the dishes being served.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The lady of the house then ordered her butler to take the beggar below and bathe him.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

housewife
vslady of the house
80 1.4

A married woman who manages her home and cares for her family

is the everyday label for the household manager, not just occupation
homemaker
vslady of the house
28 2.7

A person who manages a home and cares for their family

is the broader social role name for running the household rather than a title
head of household
vslady of the house
3 2.8

A person who is in charge of managing a home and family

is narrower, focusing on the woman specifically managing the household
domina
vslady of the house
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A woman who leads a household or group

is the domestic manager role with less emphasis on social authority
goodwife
vslady of the house
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A married woman who manages the home in old times

is the present term used for the same role without archaic tone
woman of the house
vslady of the house
  • Archaic
1 3.7

A wife who runs the household while her husband earns money

is the general term for the household manager, often the married partner
chatelaine
vslady of the house
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A woman who manages a large house and its staff

is the everyday domestic manager role, not limited to large estates
materfamilias
vslady of the house
  • Formal
9.9

A woman who leads and cares for her family

is the common domestic manager term without emphasising family authority

How Senior

lady of the house
9 3.9
chatelaine
  • Archaic
1 9.9
housekeeper
110 1.1
servant
422 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

lady + of + the + house

The phrase is compositionally built from 'lady' (woman) + the possessive/associative marker 'of the' + 'house' (home), so a B1 learner who knows those words can infer it refers to the woman associated with or in charge of the household (often the wife). This possessive construction is common across languages, making the relation and meaning readily predictable from the parts.

Etymology

The expression lady of the house may come from the old image of a woman standing at the door or in the main room, welcoming guests and directing the people who run the house. So, the words lady and house point to the woman who is 'in charge' of the home today.