widow en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɪd.oʊ/ (General-American)
- /ˈwɪd.əʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁- Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂ Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ Proto-West Germanic *widuwā Old English widuwe Middle English widwe English widow PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English widwe, from Old English widuwe (“widow”), from Proto-West Germanic *widuwā (“widow”), from Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ (“widow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂ (“widow”), possibly from *h₁weydʰh₁-, *widʰ- (“to separate, split, cleave, divide”), whence also wood from Old English widu, wudu. Cognates Cognate with Scots weedae, wedow, widdow (“widow”), Cimbrian bittaba (“widow”), Dutch weduwe, weeuw (“widow”), German Witwe (“widow”), Vilamovian wytwa (“widow”), Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉 (widuwō, “widow”), Old Irish fedb (“widow”), Welsh gweddw (“widow”), Asturian and Spanish viuda (“widow”), Aragonese and Latin vidua (“widow”), Catalan vídua (“widow”), French veuve (“widow”), Galician and Portuguese viúva (“widow”), Italian vedova (“widow”), Romanian văduvă (“widow”), Ancient Greek ἠΐθεος (ēḯtheos, “bachelor”), Albanian ve (“widow, widower”), Belarusian удава́ (udavá, “widow”), Czech, Slovak, and Slovene vdova (“widow”), Polish gdowa, wdowa (“widow”), Russian and Ukrainian вдова́ (vdová, “widow”), Serbo-Croatian udova, у̀дова (“widow”), Central Kurdish بێوە (bêwe, “widow”), Ossetian идӕдз (idæʒ, “widowed”), Persian بیوه (bive, bêva, “widow”), Sanskrit विधवा (vidhavā, “widow”).
Meanings
- A person whose spouse is absent: ▸ A person who has lost a spouse and hasn't remarried: ▸ A woman whose spouse (traditionally husband) has died (and who has not remarried); a woman in relation to her late spouse; feminine of widower.
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(uncommon) A person whose spouse is absent: ▸ A person who has lost a spouse and hasn't remarried: ▸ Any person whose spouse has died (and who has not remarried).
Now that he is a widow, he tries to win Olivia back through the songs and the music that brought them together all those years ago, leaving Olivia torn between moving forward with Josh or falling into the arms of the man she truly loves.
2016 June 23, Traciy Reyes, “‘The Wedding March’: Hallmark Movie — June Bride Unwittingly Hires Wedding Singer Who Is Her Ex, Starring Josie Bissett, Jack Wagner”, in The Inquisitr News:
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(broadly, humorous, in-compounds, informal, often, sarcastic) A person whose spouse is absent: ▸ A woman whose husband is often away pursuing a hobby, career, etc.
I had been feeling like a bowling-alley widow, but knew he loved the game, so I suggested we join a mixed league.
1988 November 27, Emily Parry, “For a Bowling Widow, a Split Isn't Just Two Lonely Pins”, in New York Times:And how many betting widows do I see at the hospital, who hardly see their husbands while the betting shops are open!
2010, Theodore Dalrymple, “There’s No Damned Merit In It”, in Life at the Bottom, published 1997:My aunt is a football widow in the fall and a basketball widow in the winter and early spring.
- An additional hand of playing cards dealt face-down in some card games, to be used by the highest bidder.
- A single line of type that ends a paragraph but is separated from it by being carried over to the next page or column.
- Any venomous spider of the genus Latrodectus (called "widows" because of the practice of sexual cannibalism observed among many of these species).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| widows | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
hempen widow · golf widow · widow-hunter · alpha widow · merry-widow · merry widow · widow's veil · half-widow · widow-wail · widow bird · widow foreclosure · war widow · widow's silk · widow cleansing · widow bewitched · widow-maker · military widow · black widow · widow finch · trans widow · Dutch widow · false widow · grass widow · widow's mite · chuck-will's-widow · widow maker · widow monkey · widow inheritance · hemp-widow
Hyponyms
Relateds
widowhood · widowed · vidual · widower
Synonyms
kitty · widowess (woman whose spouse has died) · widower (man whose spouse has died)
Translations (275)
ug تۇل (woman whose spouse has died) · pt viúva (single line of type carried over to the next page) · ba тол (person whose spouse has died) · gu રાંડીરાંડ (woman whose spouse has died) · esu aipaineq (woman whose spouse has died) · th หม้าย (woman whose spouse has died) · tly vev (woman whose spouse has died) · da horeunge (single line of type carried over to the next page) · kk тұл жесір (woman whose spouse has died) · sv gräsänka (woman whose husband is often away) · egy XA-A-r:*t-B1 (woman whose spouse has died) · mnp 守寡嫲 (woman whose spouse has died) · qu ikma (woman whose spouse has died) · ti መበለት (woman whose spouse has died) · kmr bîjin (woman whose spouse has died) · orv въдова (woman whose spouse has died) · mn бэлэвсэн эхнэр (woman whose spouse has died) · iba balu (woman whose spouse has died) · ro văduvă (woman whose spouse has died) · hi विधुर (person whose spouse has died) · uk удова́ (woman whose spouse has died) · id janda (woman whose spouse has died) · ru чёрная вдова́ (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · sw mjane (woman whose spouse has died) · itk וֵידוּוַה (woman whose spouse has died) · ist viduva (woman whose spouse has died) · fi pöytäkortit (card games: additional hand dealt face down) · qu ikma (person whose spouse has died) · gl viúvo (person whose spouse has died) · th ม่าย (woman whose spouse has died) · de Hurenkind (single line of type carried over to the next page) · pl wdowa (single line of type carried over to the next page) · izh leskinain (woman whose spouse has died) · uk вдова́ (woman whose spouse has died) · ill balu (woman whose spouse has died) · la vidua (woman whose spouse has died) · ba тол (woman whose spouse has died) · alt тул (woman whose spouse has died) · vo viudan (person whose spouse has died) · scn vìduva (woman whose spouse has died) · ru соло́менная вдова́ (woman whose husband is often away) · ga baintreach (woman whose spouse has died) · el χήρα (woman whose spouse has died) · sq ve (woman whose spouse has died) · ga ciste (card games: additional hand dealt face down) · uz tul (woman whose spouse has died) · mel jabul (woman whose spouse has died) · liv atrāitanai (woman whose spouse has died) · mi pouaru (woman whose spouse has died) · sco weedae (woman whose spouse has died) · fr veuve (woman whose spouse has died) · eo vidvino (woman whose spouse has died) · cy gweddw (woman whose spouse has died) · nl weduw (person whose spouse has died) · oc veusa (woman whose spouse has died) · eo gevidvo (person whose spouse has died) · ug تۇل خوتۇن (woman whose spouse has died) · vo jiviudan (woman whose spouse has died) · vi quả phụ (woman whose spouse has died) · is ekkja (woman whose spouse has died) · ban balu (woman whose spouse has died) · cs slaměná vdova (woman whose husband is often away) · ms balu (woman whose spouse has died) · fo einkja (woman whose spouse has died) · ms janda (woman whose spouse has died) · yi אַלמנה (woman whose spouse has died) · bdr pituanun (woman whose spouse has died) · wuu 孤孀 (woman whose spouse has died) · uga 𐎀𐎍𐎎𐎐𐎚 (woman whose spouse has died) · yi אַלמאָנע (woman whose spouse has died) · aa gubuna (woman whose spouse has died) · tg бева (woman whose spouse has died) · ja 寡婦 (woman whose spouse has died) · yue 寡母婆 (woman whose spouse has died) · cu ⰲⱏⰴⱁⰲⰰ (woman whose spouse has died) · be ўдава́ (woman whose spouse has died) · cmn 寡婦 /寡妇 (woman whose spouse has died) · ur وِدْھوا (woman whose spouse has died) · enm widwe (person whose spouse has died) · lb Wittfra (woman whose spouse has died) · he אַלְמָנָה (woman whose spouse has died) · sk slamená vdova (woman whose husband is often away) · lv atraitne (woman whose spouse has died) · az dul (person whose spouse has died) · tly ویوهژن (woman whose spouse has died) · gu બેવા (woman whose spouse has died) · os идӕдз ус (woman whose spouse has died) · izh leski (woman whose spouse has died) · gd bantrach (person whose spouse has died) · fi leski (woman whose husband is often away) · tsg balu (woman whose spouse has died) · be удава́ (woman whose spouse has died) · ovd aintja (woman whose spouse has died) · af weduwee (woman whose spouse has died) · br linenn intañvez (single line of type carried over to the next page) · mg maty vady (person whose spouse has died) · am መበለት (woman whose spouse has died) · vec védoa (woman whose spouse has died) · mt armla (woman whose spouse has died) · ja 後家 (woman whose spouse has died) · ca vídua (woman whose spouse has died) · ab аԥҳәысеиба (woman whose spouse has died) · fy widdo (woman whose spouse has died) · ast viuda (woman whose spouse has died) · km ម៉ាយ (woman whose spouse has died) · sco weedae-wife (woman whose spouse has died) · bg сла́мена вдови́ца (woman whose husband is often away) · pt viúva (woman whose spouse has died) · bdr baau (woman whose spouse has died) · non ekkia (woman whose spouse has died) · arz أرملة (woman whose spouse has died) · sh удо̀вица (woman whose spouse has died) · myv дова (woman whose spouse has died) · ta விதவை (woman whose spouse has died) · tk dul zenan (woman whose spouse has died) · hu özvegyasszony (woman whose spouse has died) · taa titwxenh (woman whose spouse has died) · ru вдова́ (woman whose spouse has died) · th แม่ม่าย (woman whose spouse has died) · bn বিধবা (woman whose spouse has died) · ka ქვრივი (woman whose spouse has died) · kaw walu (woman whose spouse has died) · akl baeo (woman whose spouse has died) · kmr jinebî (woman whose spouse has died) · or ନିସଙ୍ଗ ଧାଡ଼ି (woman whose spouse has died) · inh жеро (woman whose spouse has died) · nrf veuve (woman whose spouse has died) · sd وڌوا (woman whose spouse has died) · es viuda (woman whose spouse has died) · niu takape (woman whose spouse has died) · gu વિધવા (woman whose spouse has died) · fur vedue (woman whose spouse has died) · tr dul (woman whose spouse has died) · uz beva (woman whose spouse has died) · sh ùdova (woman whose spouse has died) · prs بیوَه (woman whose spouse has died) · lzz შირა (woman whose spouse has died) · th แม่หม้าย (woman whose spouse has died) · hy այրի (person whose spouse has died) · fi leskirivi (single line of type carried over to the next page) · nl weduwe (single line of type carried over to the next page) · eu alargun (woman whose spouse has died) · nn enkje (woman whose spouse has died) · szl gdowa (woman whose spouse has died) · mba balo (woman whose spouse has died) · se leaska (woman whose spouse has died) · hu özvegy (person whose spouse has died) · ba тол ҡатын (woman whose spouse has died) · nl weduwe (woman whose spouse has died) · hu özvegysor (single line of type carried over to the next page) · jv randha (woman whose spouse has died) · ml വിധവ (woman whose spouse has died) · ban rangda (woman whose spouse has died) · sh udòvica (woman whose spouse has died) · br intañvez (single line of type carried over to the next page) · dng гуафу (woman whose spouse has died) · rup veduã (woman whose spouse has died) · ja 空き家 (woman whose spouse has died) · tk dul aýal (woman whose spouse has died) · mga baintrebthach (woman whose spouse has died) · gd banntrach (woman whose spouse has died) · csb gdowa (woman whose spouse has died) · se leaska (person whose spouse has died) · ko 홀어미 (woman whose spouse has died) · kaw raṇḍa (woman whose spouse has died) · kk тұл әйел (woman whose spouse has died) · fi leski (person whose spouse has died) · pt viúvo (person whose spouse has died) · gd banntrach (person whose spouse has died) · pdt Wätfru (woman whose spouse has died) · izh leski (person whose spouse has died) · ar أَرْمَلَة (woman whose spouse has died) · sl vdova (woman whose spouse has died) · phn 𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤕 (woman whose spouse has died) · cu въдова (woman whose spouse has died) · rup veduvã (woman whose spouse has died) · enm widwe (woman whose husband is often away) · ang widuwe (woman whose spouse has died) · pt viúva negra (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · vi goá (woman whose spouse has died) · mi takahore (woman whose spouse has died) · rue вдова́ (woman whose spouse has died) · ur وِیڈو (woman whose spouse has died) · br intañvez (woman whose spouse has died) · uk удови́ця (woman whose spouse has died) · mg mpananotena (woman whose spouse has died) · de Witwe (woman whose spouse has died) · liv lešknai (woman whose spouse has died) · hi बेवा (woman whose spouse has died) · enm widwe (woman whose spouse has died) · ckt ӄликвъильын (woman whose spouse has died) · sw mjane (woman whose husband is often away) · non ænkia (woman whose spouse has died) · hy այրի (woman whose spouse has died) · ps باربلېزه (woman whose spouse has died) · nv asdzání bahastiin daaztsánígíí (woman whose spouse has died) · sc fiuda (woman whose spouse has died) · ht vèv (woman whose spouse has died) · hi विधवा (woman whose spouse has died) · hsb wudowa (woman whose spouse has died) · sga fedb (woman whose spouse has died) · ee ahosi (woman whose spouse has died) · mr विद्वा (woman whose spouse has died) · dsb hudowa (woman whose spouse has died) · sw mjane (single line of type carried over to the next page) · mk вдовица (woman whose spouse has died) · ttt biyə (woman whose spouse has died) · sh у̀дова (woman whose spouse has died) · pi vidhavā (woman whose spouse has died) · gl viúva (woman whose spouse has died) · pms vidoa (woman whose spouse has died) · my မုဆိုးမ (woman whose spouse has died) · io vidvo (person whose spouse has died) · pl wdowa (woman whose spouse has died) · fa-ira بیوِه (woman whose spouse has died) · tr dul (person whose spouse has died) · lt našlė (woman whose spouse has died) · hu özvegy (woman whose spouse has died) · ssy gubnä (woman whose spouse has died) · ur بیوَہ (woman whose spouse has died) · sw mjane (person whose spouse has died) · io vidvino (woman whose spouse has died) · ce жеро (woman whose spouse has died) · kk жесір әйел (woman whose spouse has died) · et lesk (woman whose spouse has died) · ja 未亡人 (woman whose spouse has died) · nb enke (woman whose spouse has died) · uk вдови́ця (woman whose spouse has died) · pl musik (card games: additional hand dealt face down) · pl bękart (single line of type carried over to the next page) · ps کونډه (woman whose spouse has died) · it vedova (woman whose spouse has died) · chr ᎤᏬᏑᎶᏨ (woman whose spouse has died) · da enke (woman whose spouse has died) · km មេម៉ាយ (woman whose spouse has died) · bg че́рна вдови́ца (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · otk 𐱄𐰆𐰟 (woman whose spouse has died) · csb wdowa (woman whose spouse has died) · ka ქვრივი (person whose spouse has died) · gl viúva negra (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · acw أَرْمَلة (woman whose spouse has died) · bg вдови́ца (woman whose spouse has died) · vot lehči (woman whose spouse has died) · ru вдови́ца (woman whose spouse has died) · ky жесир аял (woman whose spouse has died) · fi Latrodectus (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · fi leski (woman whose spouse has died) · fr chien (card games: additional hand dealt face down) · lo ໝ້າຍ (woman whose spouse has died) · hi विधवा (person whose spouse has died) · km វិធវា (woman whose spouse has died) · got 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉 (woman whose spouse has died) · fi mustaleski (spider of the genus Latrodectus) · yag šupun-kipa (woman whose spouse has died) · rsk ґдова (woman whose spouse has died) · pa ਵਿਧਵਾ (woman whose spouse has died) · ja ウィドー (single line of type carried over to the next page) · ko 과부 (woman whose spouse has died) · az dul (woman whose spouse has died) · ru вися́чая строка́ (single line of type carried over to the next page) · sv änka (woman whose spouse has died) · scn vìdua (woman whose spouse has died) · mrw balo (woman whose spouse has died) · cs vdova (woman whose spouse has died) · taa titwxenh (person whose spouse has died) · sa विधवा (woman whose spouse has died) · grc χήρα (woman whose spouse has died) · ja 孤立行 (single line of type carried over to the next page) · rif tajjatš (woman whose spouse has died) · dng гуафужын (woman whose spouse has died) · rsk ґдовица (woman whose spouse has died) · lo ແມ່ໝ້າຍ (woman whose spouse has died) · sk vdova (woman whose spouse has died) · et lesk (person whose spouse has died) · pnt χ̌έρα (woman whose spouse has died)