missus
word
/ˈmɪsɪz/
MI-siz
/mˈɪsəs/
MI-siz
Definition
A casual or informal way to refer to someone's wife or female romantic partner, used mainly in British and Australian English.
Usage & Nuances
'Missus' is informal, affectionate, and slightly old-fashioned. Common in British/Australian speech: 'the missus' means 'my wife'. Not typically used in formal contexts. Americans may understand but rarely use it. Not used for unmarried partners in most cases.
Spanish: esposa - mujer (coloquial)Portuguese (BR): esposa - mulher (coloquial)Portuguese (PT): esposa - mulher (coloquial)Chinese (Simplified): 老婆 (口语) - 太太 (口语)Chinese (Traditional): 老婆 (口語) - 太太 (口語)Hindi: बीवी (अनौपचारिक) - पत्नी (अनौपचारिक)Arabic: الزوجة (عامية) - المدامBengali: স্ত্রী - বউ (আনুষ্ঠানিক নয়)Russian: жена (разговорное) - супруга (разговорное)Japanese: 奥さん (くだけた言い方) - ワイフ (カジュアル表現)Vietnamese: vợ (thân mật) - bà xãKorean: 와이프 (비격식) - 집사람 - 아내 (비격식)Turkish: hanım (samimi) - karı (gündelik)Urdu: بیگم - بیوی (غیر رسمی)Indonesian: istri (gaul) - bini (informal)
Example Sentences
He went home early to help his missus.
basic
The missus wasn’t happy when I forgot our anniversary.
natural
Don’t tell the missus, but I bought another guitar.
natural
You’d better check with the missus before making plans.
natural
The missus asked me to clean the house.
basic
I'm having dinner with the missus tonight.
basic