'er indoors
British slang for one's wife or female domestic partner, typically used by a husband in a self-deprecating or affectionate way.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1980 · no dated citations yetDefinitions
British slang for one's wife or female domestic partner, typically used by a husband in a self-deprecating or affectionate way. The phrase implies the wife holds authority at home and is the one whose approval must be sought. Heavily associated with the 1980s ITV sitcom 'Minder', where the character Arthur Daley used it constantly, which cemented it in popular culture. Today it reads as dated but is still understood, and it's sometimes deployed ironically to mock old-fashioned gender dynamics.
'I'd love to come to the match Saturday, but I'll have to check with 'er indoors first,' Dave said with a wink.
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A British slang phrase for one's wife, derived from the TV series Minder (1979-1994), where protagonist Arthur Daley referred to his unseen wife as 'er indoors. The phrase has entered general British usage to describe one's domestic partner, particularly a wife who manages the household. Used affectionately or with mild exasperation, never with real hostility. Still recognizable to British audiences though the Minder reference has faded.
He would have come to the pub but 'er indoors had other plans for the evening.
'er indoors means: A British slang phrase for one's wife, derived from the TV series Minder , where protagonist Arthur Daley referred to his unseen wife as 'er indoors. The phrase has entered general British usage to. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
'er indoors means: A British slang phrase for one's wife, derived from the TV series Minder , where protagonist Arthur Daley referred to his unseen wife as 'er indoors. The phrase has entered. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself.
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(UK, slang) A person's wife.
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