What does "cuckold" mean?
A man married to an unfaithful wife, especially when he is unaware or unaccepting of the fact.
Cuckold
/ˈkʌ.koʊld/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A man married to an unfaithful wife, especially when he is unaware or unaccepting of the fact.
- Grammar: cuckold is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: acteon, be betrayed, be deceived, betray.
- Useful contrasts: assertive husband, be faithful, confident husband.
- Usage evidence: A cuckold is a person who shares a bosom with at least one other person.
How to use "cuckold"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cuckold" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cuckold" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cuckold" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cuckold" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cuckold" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acteon" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cuckold", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A man married to an unfaithful wife, especially when he is unaware or unaccepting of the fact.
"If I never marry, I shall never be a cuckold."
- 2 a man whose wife committed adultery wordnet
- 3 A man who is attracted to or aroused by the sexual infidelity of a partner.
- 4 A West Indian plectognath fish, Rhinesomus triqueter.
- 5 The scrawled cowfish, Acanthostracion quadricornis and allied species.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Synonym of fringed filefish.
Verb
- 1 To make a cuckold or cuckquean of someone by being unfaithful, or by seducing their partner or spouse. transitive
""Gave her anything she wanted - her own car, her own bank account, a free leg to amuse herself as she pleased. Of course she hated him for it. Cuckolded him, too, naturally.""
- 2 be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A cuckold is a person who shares a bosom with at least one other person."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cuckold"?
Common synonyms include: acteon, be betrayed, be deceived, betray, betray, betrayed husband.
How do you use "cuckold" in a sentence?
A cuckold is a person who shares a bosom with at least one other person.
How do you pronounce "cuckold"?
Pronounced /ˈkʌ.koʊld/.
Etymology
From Middle English cokolde, cokewold, cockewold, kukwald, kukeweld, from Old French cucuault; a compound of cucu (“cuckoo”) and Old French -auld. The word references the behavior of cuckoo birds where they lay their eggs in another bird’s nest. Cucu is either a directly derived onomatopoeic derivative of the cuckoo's call, or from Latin cucūlus. Latin cucūlus is a compound of onomatopoeic cucu (compare Late Latin cucus) and the diminutive suffix -ulus. Old French -auld is from Frankish *-wald (similar suffixes are used in some personal names within other Germanic languages as well; compare English Harold, for instance), a suffixal use of Frankish *wald (“wielder, ruler, leader”), from Proto-Germanic *waldaz (compare German Gewalt, from the related *waldą (“power, might”)), from *waldaną (“to rule”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong; to rule”). Appears in Middle English in noun form circa 1250 as cokewald. First known use of the verb form is 1589.