widow-maker
noun
wid·ow-mak·er
ˈwi-dō-ˌmā-kər
-də-
variants
or widow maker
or less commonly widowmaker
: something having the potential to cause sudden loss of life
"Our biggest worry is the mines," says Sgt. Darrell McCoy. The Third Platoon has been well trained to handle those widow-makers.—David H. Hackworth
: such as
a
: a loose limb hanging in or falling from a tree
Broken branches that are hung up high in the canopy are called widow makers, for good reason.—Jack Ewing
b
: a blockage in a branch of the left coronary artery that commonly causes a fatal heart attack
also
: the branch of the left coronary artery susceptible to fatal blockage
One of my arteries—one known as "the widowmaker"—was almost completely blocked. —Rob Mikulak
Cite this Entry
“Widow-maker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widow-maker. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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