wife

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈwīf How to pronounce wife (audio)
plural wives ˈwīvz How to pronounce wife (audio)
Synonyms of wifenext
1
a
dialect : woman
b
: a woman acting in a specified capacity
—used in combination
fishwife
2
: a female partner in a marriage
wifehood
ˈwīf-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce wife (audio)
ˈwī-ˌfu̇d
noun
wifeless
ˈwī-fləs How to pronounce wife (audio)
adjective

wifehood

2 of 2

noun (2)

wife·​hood ˈwīfˌhu̇d How to pronounce wifehood (audio)
: the quality or state of being a wife
achieved the status of wifehood

Synonyms of wife

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Noun (1)

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Examples of wife in a Sentence

Noun (1) We met him and his wife. a husband and wife who treat each other as equals in their marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Deanna Paul, an attorney for Tal, said that the brothers asked them and their wives not to attend. — Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026 And Henderson has been dogged by a 2010 divorce filing in which his ex-wife accused him of abusing his teenage son. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 My wife requires a cane or walker due to spinal stenosis and muscular weakness. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026 In August 2025, Leading the Future launched with more than $100 million in commitments from tech heavyweights including Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, and Perplexity and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wife

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

Middle English wifhod, wifhode, from Old English wīfhād womanhood, from wīf woman, wife + -hād -hood

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wife was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing wife

Rhymes for wife

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Browse Nearby Words

wiesenboden
wife
wife's equity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wife. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wife

noun
ˈwīf How to pronounce wife (audio)
plural wives ˈwīvz How to pronounce wife (audio)
1
dialect : woman sense 1
2
: a female partner in a marriage

More from Merriam-Webster on wife

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wife

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