Are you looking for a way to ask your friend why they didn’t bring their partner to your cookout? If so, you could ask them where they left their “better half.” This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression “better half” refers to your partner or spouse. It’s a way of telling someone that you value their partner as much as them and that you’ll treat them with respect when you meet them.
It’s common for people to use the phrase to refer to their wife in a heterosexual relationship. However, the saying can apply to any person in any relationship.
“Better half” can also apply to animals. For instance, a senior man who keeps his dog around for company. You can refer to anyone’s companion as their “better half.” It’s not that you’re saying they aren’t worthy of being around you, but rather a means of showing respect to you and your partner.
Example Usage
“Good of you to come, Jeff, but where’s your better half? I was looking forward to introducing her to my wife tonight.”
“Thanks for coming, Sally. We know you’re really busy right now. Where is your better half, or did he have to stay home tonight?”
“Good to see you, Jim. Where’s your better half? I told everyone how I always confuse you with your twin brother.”
“Hi Kelly, it’s a great morning out, don’t you think? Where’s your better half, Shadow? That dog follows you everywhere, and he’s so cute.”
“I like to bring my better half with me. That way, everyone can see what a lucky guy I am. I don’t deserve her.”
Origin
The expression “better half” originates from two Roman poets, Statius and Horace. The duo were popular poets at the peak of the Roman empire, and they were the first to use the expression.
However, the initial use of the phrase was to describe a best friend, not a spouse or partner.
As the decades passed, people would start to use the expression to refer to their partner. The first appearance of the phrase in print comes from Sir Philip Sidney.
Sidney published “The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia” in 1580, where the phrase appears as follows.
“My deare, my better halfe (sayd hee) I find I must now leaue thee.”
Phrases Similar to Better Half
- Reason for living.
- Beauty and the beast.
Phrases Opposite to Better Half
- Other half.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Better half.
Ways People May Say Better Half Incorrectly
Some people may use the phrase to describe the better half of something. While this use of the expression is technically correct, it’s not the more common use for the term.
Your better half is usually your partner or someone that hangs around with your frequently. On most occasions, the woman is the “better half” in a heterosexual relationship.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Better Half
You can use “better half” when describing your partner, best friend, or a person you regularly hang around with.
It’s more common for people to use it when referring to their partner. For instance, you could arrive at a Christmas party alone, and the host could ask you where your better half is and why you didn’t bring them along.
You could also use it to describe someone’s best friend or twin. If they arrive for an event at your home without them, you could use the saying to ask them why their friend or twin didn’t come.
The phrase normally applies to people, but you could also use it to describe a dog or animal that the person in question usually has around them.