Wittol

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈwɪtÉ™l/

Origin

From Middle English witewold; likely a blend of witen ("to know") + cockewold ("cuckold"), equivalent to wit + cuckold

Full definition of wittol

Noun

1. (archaic) A man who knows or even condones his wife's enjoyment of coitus with another man or men; a contented cuckold.
• 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York Review of Books 2001, p. 67:To see ... a wittol wink at his wife's honesty, and too perspicuous in all other affairs ....
• 1885, Sir Richard Francis Burton, , "Night 13"So the Ifrit cried at her, "Thou whorest and makest me a wittol with thine eyes;" and struck her so that her head went flying.
• 1960, John Barth, God help the husband that obliges his wife's least whim: he'll be a wittol ere he's two years wed!
2. (UK, dialect, obsolete) A bird, the wheatear.