wife
UK: waɪf | US: waɪf
n. a married woman considered in relation to her spouse
n. (archaic or dialectal) a woman
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The word "wife" originates from Old English wīf (woman), which traces back to Proto-Germanic wībą (woman, wife). It shares roots with German Weib (woman, often neutral or archaic) and Dutch wijf (now colloquial/pejorative). Originally a general term for "woman," its meaning narrowed to "married woman" in Middle English due to societal shifts. The word's compact structure reflects its ancient Germanic origin, making further morpheme division impractical.
His wife is a talented musician.
In medieval times, a "wife" could refer to any woman, not just a married one.
She became a wife at the age of twenty-five.
The fisherman and his wife lived by the sea.
(Archaic) "Good wives, bring your baskets here," called the merchant.