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.
Adam, his wife and their four young daughters were on the field June 24 for a pregame check-presentation ceremony. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2025 Back in 2023, Cameron's parents, Victor and Libby Boyce, opened up about their son on Taylor Lautner and his wife Tay Lautner's The Squeeze podcast. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 7 July 2025 Madsen later expressed regret for blaming his estranged wife for their son’s suicide, the Daily Mail also reported. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 July 2025 Wilson’s wife, Amber, and his son, Shiloh, were still missing at the time of the Saturday post. Solcyré Burga, Time, 7 July 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 12 Jul. 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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