Wife

Pronunciation

• IPA: /waɪf/
• Rhymes: -aɪf

Origin

From Middle English wif, wiif, wyf, from Old English wīf ("woman, female, lady, wife"), from Proto-Germanic *wībą ("woman, wife"), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gʰʷí₂bʰ- ("shame, pudenda") (compare Tocharian A/B kip/kwīpe ("shame, genitals, female pudenda")).

Douglas Q. Adams, A Dictionary of Tocharian B (Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopoi, 1999), page 238

Klaus Totila Schmit and Klaus Strunk, “Toch. B kwī̆pe ‘Schaum, Schande’, A kip ‘Schaum’ und germ. *wīƀa ‘Weib’”, Indogermanica Europaea: Festschrift für Wolfgang Meid (Graz: Institut für Sprachwissenschaft der Universität Graz, 1989), pages 251-284

Cognate with Scots wife ("wife"), West Frisian wiif ("wife, woman"), North Frisian wüf ("wife, woman"), Dutch wijf ("woman, female"), Low German Wief ("woman, female"), German Weib ("woman, wife, female"), Danish viv ("woman"), Swedish viv ("woman"), Faroese vív ("wife, woman"), Icelandic víf ("woman").

Full definition of wife

Noun

1. A married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.My wife and I have decided to have a baby.
• The Fisherman and His Wife
• 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 10, It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
2. The female of a pair of mated animals.
   A new wife for the gander is introduced into the pen.

Usage notes

Although not common, wife can be used with the to indicate one's own wife. For instance, "I'd like to go, but the wife wants me home." More commonly, "my wife".

Synonyms

• (married woman) better half, life partner, little woman slang, partner, significant other, spouse

Antonyms

• (married woman) husband, were obsolete

Derived terms