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Echtgenoot

Echtgenoot is a Dutch noun meaning "husband" or male spouse. It refers to a man who is married to someone and is used in both formal and everyday language. The corresponding feminine form is echtgenote, meaning wife.

Etymology and forms: The word is a compound of echt, meaning "proper, true" or legally married, and

Usage and context: In the Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium, echtgenoot is common in legal,

genoot,
related
to
companion
or
partner.
The
term
is
gendered:
echtgenoot
for
a
husband
and
echtgenote
for
a
wife.
In
the
context
of
same‑sex
marriage,
speakers
may
also
use
partner,
or
retain
the
traditional
forms
according
to
the
spouse’s
gender.
administrative,
and
formal
writing,
such
as
tax
forms,
medical
records,
and
inheritance
documents,
as
well
as
in
everyday
speech.
The
term
does
not
imply
civil
status
beyond
being
married;
for
unmarried
partners,
other
terms
such
as
partner
or
samenwonende
partner
are
used.
In
informal
speech,
many
people
simply
say
"mijn
man"
to
refer
to
a
husband
and
"mijn
vrouw"
to
a
wife.
The
word
remains
widely
understood
and
is
a
standard
part
of
the
vocabulary
related
to
marriage
and
family.