wife

noun

plural wives ˈwīvz How to pronounce wife (audio)
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 adjective

Examples of wife in a Sentence

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.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman shares sons Fredrick Charles II, Brandon John and Maximus Turner with his wife, Chelsea Freeman. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025 After Karrion Kross and his real-life wife, Scarlett, parted ways with WWE, fans believe that another couple's new entrance on SmackDown may be a copycat. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025 These are Logan Paulsen and his wife Kelly’s rescue dogs, all different ages and sizes, all at the door of their comfortable northern Virginia home to greet his students for another day of film study and training. Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 The single act that the CSIS study coded as right-wing terrorism during the first half of 2025 was the assassination of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shooting of Minnesota state senator John Hoffman and his wife. NPR, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wife

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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

Cite this Entry

“Wife.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wife. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

wife

noun
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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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