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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jamil Rivers was the breadwinner for the family and worked all through her cancer treatment and chemotherapy. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 1 May 2025 Replacing income for a family that loses a breadwinner in the event of a premature death is critical to the family’s financial survival. Lina Storm, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The results of these studies underscore just how deeply entrenched the male breadwinner model remains. Kim Elsesser, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025 After 14 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Sharon made the decision to transition into the breadwinner. Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for breadwinner

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

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Cite this Entry

“Breadwinner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breadwinner. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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

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