Dictionary

home wrecker en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From home + wrecker, suggesting the breakup of a household.

Meanings

1. (derogatory, idiomatic, slang) A person who gains the affections of someone already married or engaged, and thus causes the dissolution of the marriage or engagement.
   • I, unfortunately, was the prey of a vicious, depraved B-girl. In addition, the proprietress is a Nazi. We barely escaped with our lives. Go investigate that gang and let us alone, you homewrecker. 1963 (date written), John Kennedy Toole, chapter 3, in A Confederacy of Dunces, London: Penguin Books, published 1980 (1981 printing), →ISBN, page 55:
   • Knots Landing surged even higher in the ratings once Donna Mills was added as the neighborhood home wrecker Abby. 2016, David Bianculli, The Platinum Age of Television […] , Anchor, →ISBN, page 140:

Forms

Relateds

housewrecker

Synonyms

homebreaker

Translations (15)

pt destruidor de lares (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · ja 泥棒猫 (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · ja 盗人猫 (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · es quitamaridos (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · es rompehogares (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · eo hejmorompantino (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · de Familienzerstörer (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · it rovinafamiglie (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · ru разлу́чница (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · pt destruidora de lares (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · eo hejmorompanto (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · it sfasciafamiglie (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · es robaesposas (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · es quitaesposas (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person) · de Ehezerstörer (one who becomes romantically involved with a married person)