widow
WIHD-oh
Widow (noun) means a woman whose husband or spouse has died and who has not remarried. Example: “The widow kept her late husband's garden exactly as he had left it.”
noun
1
A woman whose husband or spouse has died and who has not remarried.
"The widow kept her late husband's garden exactly as he had left it."
"She has lived alone since becoming a widow five years ago."
"The charity supports widows and their families."
2
A person whose spouse or partner is often away, such as a "golf widow".
"Every summer she becomes a cricket widow while he watches the matches."
"She jokingly calls herself a football widow every Saturday."
"Being a work widow, she spends most evenings alone."
verb
1
To make someone a widow or widower through the death of their spouse.
"He was widowed early and never married again."
"The war widowed thousands of young women."
"She was widowed at just thirty-two."
How to use widow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA woman (or, more broadly, anyone) whose spouse has died and who hasn't remarried.
Common mistake
"Widower" is the male equivalent — don't use "widow" for a man whose wife has died.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a grieving widow
widow's pension
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Word forms
- Plural
- widows
- Third person singular
- widows
- Past tense
- widowed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ kept her late husband's garden exactly as he had left it.
Etymology
From Old English widuwe, from a very old Indo-European root meaning "to separate" — related to the word wide.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “widow” mean?
The word “widow” means a woman whose husband or spouse has died and who has not remarried. In plain terms, a woman (or, more broadly, anyone) whose spouse has died and who hasn't remarried.
How do you pronounce “widow”?
“Widow” is pronounced WIHD-oh (/ˈwɪd.oʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “widow” in a sentence?
Here is “widow” used in a sentence: “She has lived alone since becoming a widow five years ago.”
What is another word for “widow”?
Words with a similar meaning to “widow” include widowess and widower.
What part of speech is “widow”?
Depending on how it is used, “widow” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “widow” come from?
The word “widow” comes from Old English. From Old English widuwe, from a very old Indo-European root meaning "to separate" — related to the word wide.
Is “widow” a common word?
“Widow” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “widow” have?
“Widow” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a woman whose husband or spouse has died and who has not remarried.
What is the difference between a widow and a widower?
A widow is a woman whose husband or spouse has died and who has not remarried; a widower is a man in the same situation. "Widowed" covers both, as in "she was widowed young."
Is a woman still a widow if she remarries?
By the standard definition, no — a widow is a woman whose spouse has died and who has not remarried. The word specifically describes her status between the spouse's death and any remarriage.
What is a "golf widow"?
A golf widow is a person whose spouse or partner is frequently away playing golf, leaving them alone much of the time. The pattern extends to other pastimes — "football widow", "fishing widow" — and is humorous rather than literal.
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