husband and wife

vary this phrase half the time to "wife and husband." Male grammarians asserted centuries ago that the male was more important than the female, and should always be placed first, thus giving us husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs., boy and girl, he and she, etc. English jurist Sir William Blackstone took that bias a step further: "Husband and wife are one, and that one is the husband." In Old English, the "hus-wif" and the "hus-band" ("hus" means "house") were parallel terms, titles of respect and honor in the community, descriptors of the couple's partnership as householders. The connotation for both terms was that of "a substantial person." Since that time, the words have taken different roads and were gradually replaced by one of the most glaringly unbalanced gender pairs in the language: "man and wife"; it's always "wife and husband" or "man and woman." Use "wife" and "husband" in parallel ways. Should you need a word to include both consider spouse, mate, partner. In 2013, The Associated Press announced that its influential stylebook now includes a single standard when referring to gay and straight spouses: "Regardless of sexual orientation, 'husband' or 'wife' is acceptable in all references to individuals in any legally recognized marriage." See also boyfriend, couple, girlfriend, housewife, husband, wife.