A is a partner in a marriage, civil union, domestic partnership or common-law marriage. The term is gender neutral, whereas a male spouse is a husband and a female spouse is a wife.
Although a spouse is a form of significant other, the latter term also includes non-marital partners who play a social role similar to that of a spouse, but do not have rights and duties reserved by law to a spouse.
The legal status of a spouse, and the specific rights and obligations associated with that status, varies by region and culture. Historically, many societies have given sets of rights and obligations to male marital partners that have been very different from the sets of rights and obligations given to female marital partners. In particular, the control of marital property, inheritance rights, and the right to dictate the activities of children of the marriage, have typically been given to the male partner. However, this practice was curtailed to a great deal in many countries in the twentieth century, and more modern statutes tend to define the rights and duties of a spouse without reference to gender.
Other articles related to "spouse":
... The spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary ... as recognition of her time and energy put into being the spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia ... As the spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or representing the Prime Minister ...
... to five marriage photographs in the case of an L-2 spouse ... Copy of the applicant's parent's or spouse's L-1 approval Parent's or spouse's employment verification letter Demand draft for visa application fee Demand draft for visa ...
... Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia refers to the spouse of the head of government of Malaysia, the Prime Minister ... Since independence in 1957, the title has been occupied by women, therefore the spouse is also known as the Prime Minister's wife ... been used to refer to the Prime Minister's spouse, mirroring American usage, however this is controversial due to Malaysia being a constitutional monarchy ...
... Alleged children with Sally Hemings see Jefferson DNA data Child Lifetime Spouse Children Thomas Jefferson Hemings nickname Tom 1790 – 1879 Jemima Price ...
... was a German noble, a duchess of Swabia as the spouse of Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia, and a Danish Queen consort as the spouse of King Canute VI of Denmark ... Arnold of Lübeck remarked of their marriage, that her spouse was "The most chaste one, living thusly his days with his chaste spouse" in eternal chastity ...
Famous quotes containing the word spouse:
“Betray, kind husband, Thy spouse to our sights,
And let mine amorous soul court Thy mild Dove,
Who is most true and pleasing to Thee then
When she is embraced and open to most men.”
—John Donne (1572–1631)
“A pregnant woman and her spouse dream of three babies—the perfect four-month-old who rewards them with smiles and musical cooing, the impaired baby, who changes each day, and the mysterious real baby whose presence is beginning to be evident in the motions of the fetus.”
—T. Berry Brazelton (20th century)
“An early-rising man ... a good spouse but a bad husband.”
—Gabriel García Márquez (b. 1928)