wife

noun

ˈwīf 

plural wives ˈwīvz 

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 

ˈwī-ˌfu̇d

noun

wifeless

ˈwī-fləs 

adjective

Synonyms of wife

• lady
• woman
• spouse
• partner
• bride
• widow
• madam
• wifey
• Mrs.

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

Alvin Dewey, the detective in charge for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, began to tolerate him; later, Capote would charm Dewey’s wife, Marie, and Dewey himself. —Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026

Comedian Nikki Glaser ended the 2026 Golden Globes with a sweet tribute to late Hollywood director Rob Reiner, weeks after the beloved This Is Spinal Tap filmmaker and his wife, Michele, were found dead inside their California home in December 2025. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026

Shepard complemented his wife in a Giorgio Armani black one-button peak lapel tuxedo trimmed in satin, along with a white evening shirt and a necktie. —Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

Lincoln Park resident Michael McKee is expected in court tomorrow related to the killing of his ex-wife and her current husband inside their Columbus, Ohio, home. —Sara MacHi, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing wife

• husband and wife
• take a wife/husband
• trophy wife

Rhymes for wife

• knife
• life
• rife
• strife
• afterlife
• pocketknife
• alewife
• birdlife
• folklife
• housewife
• jackknife
• loosestrife

Kids Definition

wife

noun

ˈwīf 

plural wives ˈwīvz 

1

dialect : woman sense 1

2

: a female partner in a marriage