Phrase guide

significant other

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

One's exclusive romantic partner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: better half, other half, partner, s/o, SO

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person with whom one has an important bond of some kind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a person (not necessarily a spouse) with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: domestic partner, spousal equivalent, spouse equivalent

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: lover, spouse, partner, married person, mate, better half

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: النصف الآخر — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Catalan: parella — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Chinese Mandarin: 對象 /对象 (duìxiàng) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Chinese Mandarin: 愛人 /爱人 (àiren) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Chinese Mandarin: 那位 (nàwèi) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Chinese Mandarin: 配偶 (pèi'ǒu) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Chinese Mandarin: 伴侶 /伴侣 (bànlǚ) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Danish: kæreste — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Dutch: wederhelft — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Finnish: kumppani — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Finnish: elämäntoveri — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Finnish: rakas — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • French: moitié — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • French: partenaire — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • French: compagnon — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • French: compagne — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Galician: parella — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • German: Lebensgefährte — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • German: Lebensgefährtin — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Japanese: 配偶者 (haigūsha) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Japanese: 恋人 (koibito) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Japanese: 伴侶 (hanryo) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Polish: sympatia — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Portuguese: cara-metade — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Russian: спу́тник жи́зни (spútnik žízni) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Russian: спу́тница жи́зни (spútnica žízni) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Russian: втора́я полови́на (vtorája polovína) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Russian: возлю́бленный (vozljúblennyj) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Russian: возлю́бленная (vozljúblennaja) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Spanish: novio — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Spanish: novia — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Spanish: media naranja — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Spanish: pareja — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Turkish: eş — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Turkish: partner — romantic partner, regardless of marital status
  • Ukrainian: дру́га полови́нка (drúha polovýnka) — romantic partner, regardless of marital status