wife
waf
Wife (noun) means a married woman, in relation to her spouse. Example: “He introduced Sarah as his wife.”
noun
1
A married woman, in relation to her spouse.
"He introduced Sarah as his wife."
"They've been happily married for twenty years — she's a wonderful wife."
"My wife works as a nurse at the local hospital."
2
The female partner in a pair of mated animals.
"The male bird brings food to his wife while she incubates the eggs."
"The male swan stayed close to his wife on the water."
"The penguin took turns with his wife to keep the egg warm."
How to use wife
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA married woman, seen in relation to her husband or spouse.
Common pairings
husband and wife
become someone's wife
ex-wife
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Word forms
- Plural
- wives
- Third person singular
- wifes
- Past tense
- wifed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He introduced Sarah as his _____.
Etymology
From Old English wīf, an old Germanic word originally meaning simply "woman", which later narrowed in English to mean specifically a married woman.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for wife
See all rhymes for wife →Frequently asked questions
What does “wife” mean?
The word “wife” means a married woman, in relation to her spouse. In plain terms, a married woman, seen in relation to her husband or spouse.
How do you pronounce “wife”?
“Wife” is pronounced waf (/wæf/ in IPA).
How do you use “wife” in a sentence?
Here is “wife” used in a sentence: “He introduced Sarah as his wife.”
What is another word for “wife”?
Words with a similar meaning to “wife” include ball and chain, better half, boss, bride, dutch and 'er indoors.
What is the opposite of “wife”?
The opposite of “wife” — its antonyms — are husband and were.
What part of speech is “wife”?
“Wife” is a noun.
Where does the word “wife” come from?
The word “wife” comes from Old English. From Old English wīf, an old Germanic word originally meaning simply "woman", which later narrowed in English to mean specifically a married woman.
Is “wife” a common word?
“Wife” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the opposite of wife?
The counterpart is "husband," the married man in the relationship — a wife and husband are spouses to each other. If you mean a woman who isn't married, the contrasting terms are "single woman" or historically "spinster," though the natural pair for "wife" in a marriage is "husband."
What do you call a former wife?
A woman a person was once married to but has divorced is an "ex-wife" or "former wife." If the husband has died, she is a "widow" rather than an ex-wife. These terms mark how a marriage ended — through divorce in the first case, bereavement in the second.
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