widow

1 of 2

noun

wid·​ow ˈwi-(ˌ)dō 

1

a

: a woman who has lost her spouse or partner by death and usually has not remarried

b

: grass widow sense 2

c

: a woman whose spouse or partner leaves her alone or ignores her frequently or for long periods to engage in a usually specified activity

a golf widow

a video game widow

2

: an extra hand or part of a hand of cards dealt face down and usually placed at the disposal of the highest bidder

3

: a single usually short last line (as of a paragraph) separated from its related text and appearing at the top of a printed page or column

widow

2 of 2

verb

widowed; widowing; widows

transitive verb

1

: to cause to become a widow or widower

2

obsolete : to survive as the widow of

3

: to deprive of something greatly valued or needed

Examples of widow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

At the end of last season, Joe returned to his roots in New York with rich widow Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), gaining all the privilege and protection that wealth allows. —The Deadline Team, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2024

Adelson is the widow of the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, also a major GOP donor. —David Jackson, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024

Verb

He was forced to push down these feelings for his cousin's wife, only for a love story to bloom slowly between them when Francesca is tragically widowed. —Alanna Bennett, refinery29.com, 24 June 2024

That liaison is opposed by both their fathers — widowed farmer Leonard Lambert (Glen) and wealthy Dr. Janssen (Koen De Bouw), respectively — for reasons of entrenched class division. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English widewe, from Old English wuduwe; akin to Old High German wituwa widow, Latin vidua, Sanskrit vidhavā, Latin -videre to separate

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing widow

• black widow
• chuck-will's-widow
• football/golf widow
• grass widow
• merry widow
• widow maker
• widow's cruse
• widow's peak
• widow's walk

Kids Definition

widow

1 of 2 noun

wid·​ow ˈwid-ō 

: a woman whose spouse has died

widowhood

-ˌhu̇d

noun

widow

2 of 2 verb

: to cause to become a widow or widower

widowed by war