widow
UK: ˈwɪdəʊ | US: ˈwɪdoʊ
n. a woman whose spouse has died and who has not remarried
vt. to make someone a widow or widower
widow = wid<separated> + ow<noun suffix>
- wid (from Proto-Indo-European widh-, meaning "to separate" or "be empty")
- ow (a noun-forming suffix, often indicating a state or condition)
Etymology Origin:
The word "widow" traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root widh-, which conveyed the idea of separation or emptiness. This evolved into Old English widuwe, reflecting the societal perception of a widow as someone left "separated" or "bereft" after their spouse's death. The suffix -ow (later simplified to -ow or -o) solidified the term as a noun denoting this state. The word's structure has remained remarkably stable across Germanic languages (e.g., German Witwe, Dutch weduwe), preserving its core meaning.
She became a widow at the age of 45.
The war widowed many women in the village.
The foundation supports widows and their children.
He was widowed last year after 30 years of marriage.
In some cultures, widows face significant social challenges.