Meanings
comparative more uxorious · superlative most uxorious
- Very devoted and possibly submissive to one's wife; showing excessive uxorial devotion.First known use late 16th c.
In truth, Richard was a fond—almost an uxorious husband.
1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume IV (The Talisman), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 1295 more examples
With theſe in troop Came Aſtoreth, whom the Phœnicians call'd Aſtarte, Queen of Heav'n, with creſcent Horns; To whoſ,e bright Image nightly by the Moon Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs, In Sion alſo not unſung, where ſtood Her Temple on th' offensive Mountain, built By that uxorious King, whoſe heart though large, Beguil'd by fair Idolatreſſes, fell To Idols foul.
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 437–446Mr. Watkins Tottle was a rather uncommon compound of strong uxorious inclinations, and an unparalleled degree of anti-connubial timidity.
1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume II, London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC, pages 1–2The king, who was a most uxorious husband, at first ridiculed the notion, but at length consented, as he did to everything else on which her majesty had set her heart.
1872, Samuel Butler, chapter XXIV, in Erewhon […] , London: Trübner & Co., →OCLC, page 226People smiled a little when Sir Andrew Ffoulkes' name was mentioned, some called him effeminate, others uxorious, his fond attachment for his pretty little wife was thought to pass the bounds of decorum.
1908, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], The Elusive Pimpernel, London: Hutchinson & Co. […], →OCLCBut Daylight was not unduly uxorious. He lived his man's life just as she lived her woman's life.
1910 October, Jack London, Burning Daylight, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLCSynonyms: doting
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveVery devoted and possibly submissive to one's wife; showing excessive uxorial devotion.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivefoolishly fond of or submissive to your wife
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinuxōrius“of or pertaining to a wife”
- Englishuxorious
Borrowed from Latin uxōrius (“of or pertaining to a wife”), from uxor (“wife”) + -ious.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish vaimoonsa kiintynyt, vaimolleen alistuva
- vaimoonsa kiintynytVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- vaimolleen alistuvaVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
French uxorieux
- uxorieuxVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
Polish pod pantoflem
- pod pantoflemVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
Russian подкаблу́чный
- подкаблу́чный (podkablúčnyj)Very devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
Spanish mandilón, calzonazos
- mandilónVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- calzonazosVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- pollerudoVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- saco largoVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- pisadoVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- macabeoVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
- mangoneadoVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
Turkish hanımcı
- hanımcıVery devoted and/or submissive to one's wife
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with uxorious
Cite this entry
uxorious. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uxorious
“uxorious.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uxorious. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “uxorious,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uxorious.
Source: uxorious on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.