li'l friend
A shady, dismissive way to refer to someone's spouse or long-term partner, usually the second acquired after divorce or the death of the first, when you don't claim them, don't respect them, and know they're only tolerated because of their more powerful partner. It implies they're irrelevant without their spouse and temporary, and will disappear the moment their spouse dies or comes to their sense. You never refer to them as the "husband", "wife," or "partner", because they never earned their place. They will always be their little friend and will be referenced as such in the obituary.
You can put a crown Camilla Parker Bowles everyday of the week but she will be Pawpaw's, King Charles' li'l friend. I don"t care what her royal stationery says.
li'l friend by Queen Auntie July 7, 2025
Get the li'l friend mug.