wife
a married woman, especially when considered in relation to her partner in marriage.
a woman (archaic or dial., except in idioms): old wives' tale.
Idioms about wife
take to wife, to marry (a particular woman): He took an heiress to wife.
Origin of wife
1Other words from wife
- wifedom, noun
- wifeless, adjective
- wife·less·ness, noun
Other definitions for -wife (2 of 2)
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for wife
/ (waɪf) /
a man's partner in marriage; a married woman: Related adjective: uxorial
an archaic or dialect word for woman
take to wife to marry (a woman)
Origin of wife
1Derived forms of wife
- wifehood, noun
- wifeless, adjective
- wifelike, adjective
- wifeliness, noun
- wifely, adjective
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with wife
see under wives.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse