wife

Meanings

Noun

• A married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.
• The female of a pair of mated animals.
• Synonym of woman.

Verb

• to marry

Related

Similar words

• little woman
• wive

Opposite words

• husband,

Broader meaning words

• better half, life partner, partner, significant other, spouse, wedder

Origin

• From Middle English wif, wiif, wyf, from Old English wīf, from Proto-Germanic *wībą, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gʰwíbʰ- (compare Tocharian A/B kip/kwīpe). Cognate with Scots wife ("wife"), West Frisian wiif ("wife, woman"), Saterland Frisian Wieuw ("woman, lady, female"), North Frisian wüf ("wife, woman"), Dutch wijf ("woman, female"), Low German Wief ("woman, female"), German Weib ("woman, wife, female"), Danish viv ("woman"), Norwegian viv ("wife, woman, girl"), Swedish viv ("woman"), Faroese vív ("wife, woman"), Icelandic víf ("woman"). waifu.
• See also woman.