Widow

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈwɪ.dəʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɪdəʊ

Origin

From Old English widewe ("") or wuduwe ("") or widuwe ("widow"), from Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂. Cognate with Dutch weduwe, German Witwe, and also Latin vidua, French veuve, Bulgarian вдовица.

Full definition of widow

Noun

1. A woman whose husband has died (and who has not remarried); feminine of widower.
2. (informal, in combination) A woman whose husband is often away pursuing a sport, etc.
• 1988, Emily Parry, "For a Bowling Widow, a Split Isn't Just Two Lonely Pins," New York Times, 27 Nov.,I had been feeling like a bowling-alley widow, but knew he loved the game, so I suggested we join a mixed league.
3. An additional hand of cards dealt face down in some card games, to be used by the highest bidder.
4. (printing) A single line of type that ends a paragraph, carried over to the next page or column.
5. A venomous spider, of the genus Latrodectus.

Related terms

• widower
• widowhood

Derived terms

Verb

1. (transitive) To make a widow (or widower) of someone; to cause the death of one's spouse.