n.
Pronunciation: ' w ī f
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural wives \ ' w ī vz \
Etymology: Middle English wif, from Old English w ī f; akin to Old High German w ī b wife and probably to Tocharian B kw ī pe female pudenda
Date: before 12th century
1 a dialect : WOMAN b : a woman acting in a specified capacity ― used in combination <fish wife >
2 : a female partner in a marriage
– wife · hood \ ' w ī f- ˌ hu ̇ d, ' w ī - ˌ fu ̇ d \ noun
– wife · less \ ' w ī -fl ə s \ adjective