second gentleman: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, official, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “second gentleman” mean?
The husband or male partner of a vice president or deputy head of state.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The husband or male partner of a vice president or deputy head of state.
A formal title for the spouse of a vice president, particularly in the United States, analogous to 'second lady' for female spouses.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is predominantly American, as the U.S. has a Vice President whose spouse receives this title. The UK has no directly equivalent position (Deputy Prime Minister's spouse is not formally titled).
Connotations
In American usage: official, modern, formal. In British usage: rare, likely understood only in context of U.S. politics.
Frequency
Extremely rare in British English; low but established in American political/journalistic contexts since the 2020s.
Grammar
How to Use “second gentleman” in a Sentence
The Second Gentleman + verb (attends, speaks, represents)Second Gentleman of + country (the United States)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “second gentleman” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The role does not second gentleman any official constitutional powers.
- (Note: Extremely forced/unnatural as a verb)
American English
- (No standard verb use exists)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb use exists)
American English
- (No standard adverb use exists)
adjective
British English
- (No standard adjective use exists)
American English
- The Second Gentleman role is largely ceremonial.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used
Academic
Used in political science, gender studies, or American studies when discussing modern political titles and roles.
Everyday
Rare; might appear in news reports about U.S. political figures.
Technical
Used in protocol, official state documents, and political journalism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “second gentleman”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “second gentleman”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “second gentleman”
- Capitalizing incorrectly (should be 'Second Gentleman' as a title).
- Using it for the spouse of any deputy leader outside the U.S. context without clarification.
- Confusing with 'First Gentleman' (spouse of the head of state).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is the formal, protocol-based title for the husband of the Vice President of the United States.
Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, became the first Second Gentleman in January 2021.
It is primarily an American title. Other countries may refer to the spouse of a deputy head of state informally, but without this specific formal title.
The female equivalent is 'Second Lady', used for the wife of a vice president.
The husband or male partner of a vice president or deputy head of state.
Second gentleman is usually formal, official, journalistic in register.
Second gentleman: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsekənd ˈdʒentlmən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsekənd ˈdʒɛn(t)əlmən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No established idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The President's spouse is the FIRST Lady/Gentleman. The Vice President is SECOND in command, so their spouse is the SECOND Gentleman.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL HIERARCHY IS A NUMERICAL SEQUENCE (first, second).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary context for the term 'Second Gentleman'?