Definition

Noun: - The theory and practice of homemaking: A field of study and practical knowledge focused on the skills and principles needed to manage a household effectively. This traditionally includes areas such as cooking, nutrition, sewing, budgeting, and childcare.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In high school, she took a course in home economics to learn how to cook and manage a budget.
  • The university's department of home economics now offers degrees in nutrition and family studies.

Advanced Usage

• "Home economics education": Refers to the teaching and curriculum associated with this subject.
  • There is a renewed interest in home economics education to teach essential life skills.

Variants and Related Words

• Home ec (n): A common, informal abbreviation for "home economics".
  • We have home ec class right after lunch.
• Domestic science (n): A traditional, largely synonymous term for home economics, emphasizing its systematic study.
  • The subject was once widely known as domestic science.

Synonyms

• Domestic arts: A term emphasizing the practical skills involved in homemaking.
• Household management: Focuses on the organizational and administrative aspects of running a home.

Related Phrases

• Life skills: A broader modern term that often encompasses the practical competencies taught in home economics.
  • Cooking and budgeting are fundamental life skills.

Related Idioms

(Note: "Home economics" itself is not typically used in idiomatic expressions. Its concepts, however, are foundational to many common sayings about home and management.)

Noun

1. theory and practice of homemaking