SOCIETY SCRAPBOOK - gay marriage causes Macmillan to revise definitions

Its definitions of husband and wife are set to be revised as part of an ongoing programme, but for now remain less than up-to-date.

The definition of "husband" reads: 1. "The master of a house, the male head of a household." And 2. "A man joined to a woman by marriage. Correlative to wife."

While "wife" reads: 1. "A woman: formerly in general sense; in later use restricted to a woman of humble rank or 'of low employment' (Johnson), esp. one engaged in the sale of some commodity." And 2. "A woman joined to a man by marriage; a married woman. Correlative to husband." (Bury, 2013a).

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/21/macmillan-dictionary-revises-definition-gay-marriage