Can "partner" refer to a spouse?

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signit said:
Never, for an actual married spouse.

Just once, for someone who wasn’t legally married.

I have heard the term “significant other” which seems to cover married or not legally married (e.g., you can come to the wedding and bring your “significant other”).
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“Significant other” is the other half of a social unit; your “partner” will get mentioned in your obituary. It usually means someone who is not a spouse but who acts as if they were a spouse (i.e., not just a roommate). It is gaining in popularity as a blanket term that includes both spouses and quasi-spouses, though, because people just do not want to keep track of who is married and who is not or to upset anyone by using the wrong term.

The problem with co-opting “partner” in this way is that when two adults not living together start a restaurant, it is a pain for them to have to keep explaining that they mean a business partner!
 
It has been 18 hours since I posted this poll, and so far we have:
  • 16 people who have never or rarely heard someone refer to their spouse as their partner
  • 8 people who sometimes hear a spouse referred to as a partner
  • 5 people who frequently hear a spouse referred to as a partner
And it seems that of the people who do hear this usage of “partner” at least sometimes, the majority of them hear it from all types of people, not just from liberal or secular people.

My thoughts:

Having heard this usage for the first time only very recently, I am surprised at the number of people who hear this usage frequently or even just sometimes. But at least I don’t feel too alone, as a little over half of the poll respondents are in the same boat as me (rarely or never hearing this usage).

I am also a bit disheartened. I think that this usage of “partner” in place of “husband” or “wife” or even “spouse” could be yet another sign of the devaluation of marriage in modern culture, since this usage seems designed to eliminate distinctions between marriage and other romantic relationships.
 
I hear it pretty often. I know that I’ve heard conservative people say it, but since I don’t know the political or religious leanings of everyone I encounter I can’t give you a breakdown of what kind of person says it more.

I actually like the term. Of course I call my husband my husband, but I also use partner. I like it and I think it gives a good description of the nature of our relationship. I also get it when non married people use it. Boy/girlfriend does not imply the entangling of lives or a permanent commitment. If those things are in place before a legal marriage than partner is appropriate.

I don’t really see this as something to be upset about. It’s really no one’s business how another person labels their significant other. But the people who are bent out of shape over this must go crazy when long term couples say husband and wife without being legally married.
 
The term is used quite frequently in the German language, sometimes (but not necessarily) to distinguish an unmarried couple from married spouses.
 
When I hear it from heterosexual couples it’s often when speaking of withstanding some trouble, as sort of a positive “we’re in this together and we’ll make it through” way.

Of course, my dad always introduced my mom to people as his “bride” until the day she died. :love:
 
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