Homewise

Part of speech: adverb, adjective

Definitions

1. In a manner related to one's residence or household affairs; with regard to domestic matters or living place concerns; concerning the environment of a private dwelling
2. Pertaining to activities or decisions connected to where one lives; in a fashion that considers the home setting or familial context; related to personal housing or household management
3. Describing something done with respect to the home situation; involving issues or aspects tied to the place of residence; focused on the domestic sphere or living quarters

Etymology: "Homewise" is a plain English formation: the noun "home" combined with the suffix "-wise," which has been attached to English words since Old English to mean "in the manner of" or "with regard to" (as in "clockwise" or "likewise"). Its earliest recorded use is more recent than many readers would expect, and it is generally treated as a modern coinage of the twentieth century, though the exact first citation should be checked in the OED before being relied upon. Because "-wise" is so productive, speakers can attach it to almost any noun, and "homewise" follows that pattern exactly: it means something like "with regard to the home." The "-wise" suffix has a fairly literal origin in the Old English noun "wise," meaning "manner" or "way," which is also the source of the modern word "wise" in its sense of "knowing." The two are historically related, but "homewise" draws only on the manner-sense.

Synonyms: toward home, homeward, homebound, homelike, domestic

Antonyms: away, abroad, foreign, outside, afar