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Better half

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A person's spouse or lover, most commonly a man's wife.

    "But with that Argalus came out of his swoon, […], it seemed a little cheerful blood came up to his cheeks, like a burning coal, almost dead, if some breath a little revive it: and forcing up, the best he could, his feeble voice, “My dear, my better half,” said he, “I find I must now leave thee: and by that sweet hand, and fair eyes of thine I swear that death brings nothing with it to grieve me but that I must leave thee, […]"

  2. 2
    a person's partner in marriage wordnet
  3. 3
    A very close friend or companion. archaic

Etymology

Ultimately from such Latin poetic phrases as animae dīmidium meae (“half of my soul”) (Horace writing about Virgil), when it instead referred to a close friend (compare soulmate). First written instance of it meaning “spouse” was in 1580 by Sir Philip Sidney.

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