“Second Gentleman” has been added to Merriam-Webster dictionary after Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, became the first husband. The term has been used in the past, but now it’s common enough to finally make it into the dictionary.
“In concert with a new family’s arrival at Number One Observatory Circle, on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory, the term Second Gentleman has finally met our criteria for dictionary entry. Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Craig Emhoff, is the first Second Gentleman the United States has ever had,” Merriam- Webster said.
“Second Gentleman” is defined as “the husband or male partner of a vice president or second in command of a country or jurisdiction.” Emhoff took to Twitter to acknowledge the addition.
“I might be the first but I won’t be the last,” Emhoff tweeted.
Emhoff is honored to be the first male spouse and will build on the legacy of those who have come before him.
“I am honored to be the first male spouse of an American president or vice president,” Emhoff tweeted. “But I’ll always remember generations of women have served in this role before me—often without much accolade or acknowledgment. It’s their legacy of progress I will build on as Second Gentleman.”
