breadwinner

noun

bread·​win·​ner ˈbred-ˌwi-nər How to pronounce breadwinner (audio)
plural breadwinners
1
: a member of a family whose wages supply the family's principal or only means of support
the main/primary/sole breadwinner in the family
… many more households have two breadwinners, making it unlikely that there will be someone home all afternoon to cook.Mark Bittman
2
: a means (such as a tool, craft, or activity) of livelihood : a way of earning income
Crop diversity kept the overall value of Montana agriculture strong even as wheat, the state agriculture's breadwinner, faltered.Tom Lutey
Catfish farming has become the breadwinner industry for many families in west Alabama …Robert Dewitt and Benita D. Newton
breadwinning noun

Examples of breadwinner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For years before the story broke, Stormy had been the breadwinner. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024 One man is accepting his wife’s new role as the breadwinner with open arms. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2024 That’s true not only when women are the lower earners in a relationship due to the pay gap, but even for female breadwinners. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 Put this way, in 85% of couples 50 years ago, the husband was the primary breadwinner. USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 Additionally, the Center for American Progress notes that in 41% of American households with children, women serve as the primary or sole breadwinner. Mark Travers, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Thousands of miles apart, Araceli was the main breadwinner for her son, but Daniel had to learn how to grow up without her. Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2024 In intimate relationships, this often translates to a rigid and stereotypical division of labor—men are expected to fulfill the roles of primary breadwinners and protectors, while women are assigned domestic responsibilities. Mark Travers, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, an ascendant right wing is busy flogging the concept of the nuclear family — heterosexual, natch — with men as breadwinners and women maintaining the home and raising children. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breadwinner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1614, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of breadwinner was circa 1614

Dictionary Entries Near breadwinner

Cite this Entry

“Breadwinner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breadwinner. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

breadwinner

noun
bread·​win·​ner ˈbred-ˌwin-ər How to pronounce breadwinner (audio)
: a person whose wages provide support for his or her family

More from Merriam-Webster on breadwinner

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