househead

English

Etymology

house +‎ head

Noun

househead (plural househeads)

1. The head of a household, typically the primary wage-earner.
   • 1972, Tadashi Fukutake, Japanese Rural Society, page 54:

     Even in the families of full-time farmers the swift developments of post-war agriculture have prompted a shift of managing authority from the househead to his youthful heir.

   • 1974, Harriet Caplan, Cost of living affects Pennsylvania's socio-economic groups, page 4:

     These include all households having total incomes less than $8,500 per year with both househead and spouse working.

   • 2013, Ron P. Dore, City Life in Japan, →ISBN, page 101:

     In so far as there is any division of property, this is not occasioned by the death of the househead.

2. In an organization that is divided into houses, the person with authority over and responsibility for a house.
   • 1951, John Cowgill Clevenger, Student Personnel Services - Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College:

     When staying all night with a friend, a girl must obtain permission from her househead and the housemother or householder.

   • 1982, Secondary Education Journal - Volume 12, page 7:

     The househead, operating on a two-thirds teaching timetable, accepts academic and pastoral responsibility for 120 11 year old pupils from specific feeder schools.

   • 1985, Ontario Labour Relations Board, Ontario Labour Relations Board Reports, page 1475:

     During that period, the prospective employee is assessed by the househead and the rest of the staff. But at the end of the three-day observation period the househead is able to make a recommendation to the supervisor as to whether the prospective employee should be hired or not.

Anagrams

• head house, headhouse