u, f., and by way of popular pronunciation huspreyja, Bs. i. 535, Glúm. 349, N. G. L. ii. 6; or húsfrú (Swed. husfru), indecl. in sing., freq. in Stj. 123, Orkn. 326, Fms. vi. 166, xi. 437: whence by corrupt pronunciation hústrú (Dan. hustru), which form is freq. in late MS. deeds, Dipl. iv. r, 3, v. 15, Vm. 31, 52, Bs. i. 117, 119:—a house-wife, lady, mistress; bóndi ok húsfreyja, Bs. i. 535, Grág. i. 157; Unnr húsfreyja, Orkn. 210; Gyða h., Eg. 478; ein rík húsfrú, a great lady, Fms. vi. 166; húsfrú Geirdís, h. Salgerðr, Dipl. iv. 3, Vm. 52; see frú, p. 175, and the references there given.

II. a wife, answering to húsbóndi II; sér ok húsfreyju sinni (his wife), Ísl. ii. 201, Stj. 123, Dipl. iv. 1; Sölmundr ok hústrú hans, Vm. 31, Dipl. v. 15; leitandi hvar húsfrú muni sofa, where his wife would be sleeping, Fms. xi. 437.