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

The day of his funeral was an incredibly difficult one for his grieving widow Barbara, their four adult children, including Kordisch Tucker, and his grandchildren. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024

Black widows and brown widows are usually found in wood piles, garages, around mailboxes, and in areas of the home that aren’t commonly cleaned. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2024

Verb

Viewers meet Anise, who has been married three times; widow Suzanne, who was married for 27 years; Nate, who was married for 16 years; Pam, who was married twice and widowed twice; Lori, who has been divorced once; and Greg, who has been divorced twice. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024

Originally published in 1980 and now reissued in English, this photo novel, as its creator called it, tells the story of his great-aunts (widowed Suzanne, never-married Louise) living together in Paris. —Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 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