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wife

noun \ˈwīf\

: a married woman : the woman someone is married to

plural wives \ˈwīvz\

Full Definition of WIFE

a dial : woman

b : a woman acting in a specified capacity —used in combination <fishwife>

: a female partner in a marriage

— wife·hood \ˈwīf-ˌhu̇d, ˈwī-ˌfu̇d\ noun

— wife·less \ˈwī-fləs\ adjective

See wife defined for English-language learners

See wife defined for kids

Origin of WIFE

Middle English wif, from Old English wīf; akin to Old High German wīb wife and probably to Tocharian B kwīpe female pudenda

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to WIFE

Synonyms: helpmate, helpmeet, lady, little woman, madam, missus (or missis), Mrs., old lady, wifey, woman [chiefly dialect]

Rhymes with WIFE

fife, Fife, knife, life, rife, strife

WIFE Defined for Kids

wife

noun \ˈwīf\

plural wives \ˈwīvz\

Definition of WIFE for Kids

: a married woman

— wife·ly adjective

Learn More About WIFE

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "wife"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "wife"

Nglish: Translation of "wife" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "wife" for Arabic speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "wife"

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