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significant other

Definition of Significant Other

(noun) Term used to denote an individual who is important in one’s life.

Significant Other Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: sig·nif·i·cant oth·er

Audio Pronunciation

– American English
– British English

Phonetic Spelling

  • American English – /sig-nIf-i-kuhnt UHTH-uhr/
  • British English – /sig-nIf-i-kuhnt UHTH-uh/

International Phonetic Alphabet

  • American English – /səgˈnɪfɪkənt ˈʌðər/
  • British English – /sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˈʌðə/

Usage Notes

  • Plural: significant others
  • Chiefly used to describe partners, but is also used for a variety of other individuals.
  • Significant others are agents of socialization.
  • The sociological definition of significant other varies from the general definition that refers to a romantic partner.

Additional Information

Related Terms


Works Consulted

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Cite the Definition of Significant Other

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2016. “significant other.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved March 29, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/significant-other/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

significant other. (2016). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/significant-other/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2016. “significant other.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/significant-other/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“significant other.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2016. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/significant-other/>.