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alewife

noun ale·wife \ ˈāl-ˌwīf \

Definition of alewife

: a woman who keeps an alehouse

First Known Use of alewife

15th century

in the meaning defined above

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2

alewife

noun

Definition of alewife

plural alewives play \-ˌwīvz\
: a food fish (Alosa pseudoharengus) of the herring family that is very abundant along the Atlantic coast; also : any of several related fishes (such as the menhaden)

Origin and Etymology of alewife

perhaps alteration of obsolete allowes, a kind of shad, from French alose shad, from Old French, from Late Latin alausa

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  1. See words that rhyme with alewife Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alewife

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