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View synonyms for

wife

1

[ wahyf ]

noun

plural wives
  1. a married woman, especially when considered in relation to her partner in marriage.
  2. a woman ( archaic or dial., except in idioms):

    old wives' tale.



verb (used with or without object)

wifed, wifing.
  1. Rare. wive.

-wife

2
  1. a combining form of wife, now unproductive, occurring in compound words that in general designate traditional roles or occupations of women:

    fishwife; goodwife; housewife; midwife.

wife

/ ɲɪ /

noun

  1. a man's partner in marriage; a married woman uxorial
  2. an archaic or dialect word for woman
  3. take to wife
    to marry (a woman)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈɾڱ, adjective
  • ˈɾڱǴǻ, noun
  • ˈɾڱԱ, noun
  • ˈɾڱ, adjective
  • ˈɾڱˌ, adjective
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Other yvlog Forms

  • ɾڱddz noun
  • ɾڱl adjective
  • ɾڱl·ness noun
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of wife1

before 900; Middle English, Old English ī woman; cognate with Dutch wijf, German Weib, Old Norse ī
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of wife1

Old English ī; related to Old Norse ī (perhaps from īathr veiled), Old High German ī (German Weib )
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Idioms and Phrases

  1. take to wife, to marry (a particular woman):

    He took an heiress to wife.

More idioms and phrases containing wife

see under wives .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"Both he and his wife have been absolutely fantastic, honestly I cannot praise them enough."

From

Bobby Sherman, a teen idol of the 1960s, is at home getting ‘special care’ for terminal cancer, his wife says in an interview.

From

The two hold hands under the table while answering questions from family about why they’ve not yet found wives to wed.

From

Snell, his wife and infant son were not home at the time of their break-in, and it is unclear from a police report what, if anything, was stolen.

From

"After we were arrested, many freelance journalists could not shoot the next day. Everyone was afraid," he told us, sitting on his couch at home with his wife Hazal by his side.

From

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More About Wife

What is a basic definition of wife?

A wife is a married woman.

The word wife is often used when a woman’s marital status is important to the current topic. For example, a man might explain to a salesperson that he is  looking for a present for his wife, which is a lot more helpful than saying he is buying a gift for “a woman.”

The plural of wife is wives. A man who is married is called a husband. A woman whose marital partner has died is called a widow.

  • Real-life examples: Queen Isabella I of Castille was the wife of King Ferdinand II of Aragon. King Henry VIII infamously had six wives (but one at a time!). If you are married to a woman, then she is your wife.
  • Used in a sentence: My uncle has never been married and says he has no interest in finding a wife.  

Sometimes, a modifier is used with wife to be more specific about a woman’s marital partner.

  • Used in a sentence: The documentary explored the lives of prison wives.

Some married people prefer gender-neutral terms, such as spouse or partner. The choice is up to the people in the marriage.

Where does wife come from?

The first records of wife come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English word ī, meaning “woman.” It is related to the Dutch wijf, the German Weib, and the Old Norse ī.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to wife?

  • wifedom (noun)
  • wifeless (adjective)
  • wifehood (noun)
  • wifelike (adjective)
  • wifely (adverb)

What are some synonyms for wife?

What are some words that share a root or word element with wife?

What are some words that often get used in discussing wife?

How is wife used in real life?

Wife is a very common word used to explain a woman’s relationship to her spouse.

Try using wife!

True or False?

The word wife is used to refer to a woman who is not married.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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