breadwinner

noun bread·win·ner \ ˈbred-ˌwi-nər \

Updated on: 10 May 2018

Definition of breadwinner

1 : a means (such as a tool or craft) of livelihood

2 : a member of a family whose wages supply its livelihood

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breadwinning

play \-ˌwi-niŋ\ noun

See breadwinner defined for English-language learners

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Recent Examples of breadwinner from the Web

With women making up nearly 50-percent of all U.S. Workers — and more 40-percent of women are the breadwinners for their families — hopefully more cities will join L.A. in passing the 90-percent mark.

— diana pearl, Marie Claire, "Study: Working Women Win in Washington," 5 June 2013
These issues are exacerbated for single mothers and for the many women who end up being the sole breadwinner for their families — often these two are one and the same — who manage their finances alone.

— margot nelson, Teen Vogue, "Why Financial Literacy Is So Important," 9 Apr. 2018
Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Rady was thrust into the role of prime family breadwinner at age 15 after his physician father suffered strokes and heart attacks.

— john wilkens, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Ernest Rady receives Horatio Alger award in recognition of overcoming adversity," 5 Apr. 2018
Where Melinda has grown more resentful of her role as breadwinner, Robert remains more or less the same, tinkering away at his battery and making promises of becoming rich.

— ben sachs, Chicago Reader, "Film Tyler Perry's Acrimony is my new guilty pleasure," 4 Apr. 2018
For one, Dawa Yangzum is her family’s main breadwinner, paying college tuition for one of her brothers (about $1,500 per year).

— anna callaghan, Outside Online, "Smashing Guiding's Glass Ceiling," 3 Apr. 2018
While more and more women have become their household’s primary breadwinner, black women and Latinas are more likely than white women to fill this role.

— anne branigin, The Root, "The Future of Child Care: How to Create a Fairer, More Equitable System for Working Women and Women of Color," 28 Mar. 2018
No-fault insurance could pay all the medical bills and replace about 85% of the breadwinner's lost wages for up to three years.

— jc reindl, Detroit Free Press, "Ohio drivers pay less, get less for auto insurance than in Michigan," 23 Mar. 2018
The reality is that with an unexpected death of a breadwinner, family income will drop immediately and remain lower, very likely for an extended period.

— WSJ, "Do Most People Need Life Insurance?," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'breadwinner.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of breadwinner

1720

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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BREADWINNER Defined for English Language Learners

breadwinner

noun

Definition of breadwinner for English Language Learners

: a person who earns money to support a family

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See words that rhyme with breadwinner Spanish Central: Translation of breadwinner Nglish: Translation of breadwinner for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of breadwinner for Arabic speakers

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breadwinner

Definition of breadwinner

breadwinning

Recent Examples of breadwinner from the Web

First Known Use of breadwinner

BREADWINNER Defined for English Language Learners

breadwinner

Definition of breadwinner for English Language Learners

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breadwinner

Definition of breadwinner

breadwinning

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First Known Use of breadwinner

BREADWINNER Defined for English Language Learners

breadwinner

Definition of breadwinner for English Language Learners

Learn More about breadwinner

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