widow
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: card-games
games
media
publishing
typography
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwi-
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂
Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ
Proto-West Germanic *widuwā
Old English widuwe
Middle English widwe
English widow
 PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English widow, from Old English widuwe (“widow”), from Proto-West Germanic *widuwā (“widow”), from Proto-Germanic *widuwǭ (“widow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂ (“widow”), possibly from *h₁weydʰh₁-, *widʰ- (“to separate, split, cleave, divide”), whence also wood from Old English widu, wudu.
Cognates
Cognate with Scots weedae, wedow, widdow (“widow”), Cimbrian bittaba (“widow”), Dutch weduwe, weeuw (“widow”), German Witwe (“widow”), Vilamovian wytwa (“widow”), Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉 (widuwō, “widow”), Old Irish fedb (“widow”), Welsh gweddw (“widow”), Asturian and Spanish viuda (“widow”), Aragonese and Latin vidua (“widow”), Catalan vídua (“widow”), French veuve (“widow”), Galician and Portuguese viúva (“widow”), Italian vedova (“widow”), Romanian văduvă (“widow”), Ancient Greek ἠΐθεος (ēḯtheos, “bachelor”), Albanian ve (“widow, widower”), Belarusian удава́ (udavá, “widow”), Czech, Slovak, and Slovene vdova (“widow”), Polish gdowa, wdowa (“widow”), Russian and Ukrainian вдова́ (vdová, “widow”), Serbo-Croatian udova, у̀дова (“widow”), Central Kurdish بێوە (bêwe, “widow”), Ossetian идӕдз (idæʒ, “widowed”), Persian بیوه (bive, bêva, “widow”), Sanskrit विधवा (vidhavā, “widow”).
Inflected forms:
form: widows
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: widows
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: widowing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: widowed
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: widowed
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: A person whose spouse is absent:
pos: noun
gloss: A person whose spouse is absent:
pos: noun
tags: uncommon
examples: Now that he is a widow, he tries to win Olivia back through the songs and the music that brought them together all those years ago, leaving Olivia torn between moving forward with Josh or falling into the arms of the man she truly loves.
gloss: A person whose spouse is absent:
pos: noun
tags: broadly
humorous
in-compounds
informal
often
sarcastic
examples: My aunt is a football widow in the fall and a basketball widow in the winter and early spring.
I had been feeling like a bowling-alley widow, but knew he loved the game, so I suggested we join a mixed league.
And how many betting widows do I see at the hospital, who hardly see their husbands while the betting shops are open!
gloss: An additional hand of playing cards dealt face-down in some card games, to be used by the highest bidder.
pos: noun
gloss: A single line of type that ends a paragraph but is separated from it by being carried over to the next page or column.
pos: noun
gloss: Any venomous spider of the genus Latrodectus (called "widows" because of the practice of sexual cannibalism observed among many of these species).
pos: noun
gloss: To make a widow or widower of someone; to cause the death of the spouse of.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
gloss: To strip of anything valued.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
transitive
examples: Sleep, gentle winds, as he sleeps now,
My friend, the brother of my love.
My Arthur! whom I shall not see
⁠Till all my widow’d race be run;
⁠Dear as the mother to the son,
More than my brothers are to me.
gloss: To endow with a widow's right.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
gloss: To be widow to.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
Synonyms: widowess
widower
Related words: vidual
widowed
widower
widowhood
Derived words: alpha widow
black widow
chuck-will's-widow
Dutch widow
false widow
golf widow
grass widow
half-widow
hempen widow
hemp-widow
merry widow
military widow
trans widow
war widow
widow bewitched
widow bird
widow cleansing
widow finch
widow foreclosure
widow-hunter
widow inheritance
widow maker
widow-maker
widow monkey
widow's mite
widow-wail
Translations:
lang: Abkhaz
word: аԥҳәысеиба
roman: apḥʷəsejba
lang: Afar
word: gubuna
lang: Afrikaans
word: weduwee
lang: Aklanon
word: baeo
lang: Albanian
word: ve
lang: Southern Altai
word: тул
roman: tul
lang: Amharic
word: መበለት
roman: mäbälät
lang: Arabic
word: أَرْمَلَة
roman: ʔarmala
lang: Arabic
word: أرملة
roman: ʔarmila
lang: Arabic
word: أَرْمَلة
roman: ʔarmala
lang: Armenian
word: այրի
roman: ayri
lang: Aromanian
word: veduã
lang: Aromanian
word: veduvã
lang: Asturian
word: viuda
lang: Azerbaijani
word: dul
lang: West Coast Bajau
word: baau
lang: West Coast Bajau
word: pituanun
lang: Balinese
word: balu
lang: Balinese
word: rangda
lang: Bashkir
word: тол
roman: tol
lang: Bashkir
word: тол ҡатын
roman: tol qatın
lang: Basque
word: alargun
lang: Belarusian
word: удава́
roman: udavá
lang: Belarusian
word: ўдава́
roman: wdavá
lang: Bengali
word: বিধবা
roman: bidhoba
lang: Breton
word: intañvez
lang: Bulgarian
word: вдови́ца
roman: vdovíca
lang: Burmese
word: မုဆိုးမ
roman: mu.hcui:ma.
lang: Carpathian Rusyn
word: вдова́
roman: vdová
lang: Catalan
word: vídua
lang: Chechen
word: жеро
roman: žero
lang: Cherokee
word: ᎤᏬᏑᎶᏨ
roman: uwosulotsv
lang: Chinese Cantonese
word: 寡母婆
lang: Chinese
word: гуафу
roman: guafu
lang: Chinese
word: гуафужын
roman: guafuřɨn
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 寡婦 /寡妇
roman: guǎfù
lang: Northern Min Chinese
word: 守寡嫲
roman: siǔ-guǎ-mǎ
lang: Wu Chinese
word: 孤孀
roman: ¹ku-saon
lang: Chukchi
word: ӄликвъильын
roman: qlikvʺilʹyn
lang: Czech
word: vdova
lang: Danish
word: enke
lang: Dutch
word: weduwe
lang: Egyptian
word: XA-A-r:*t-B1
roman: ẖꜣrt
lang: Erzya
word: дова
roman: dova
lang: Esperanto
word: vidvino
lang: Estonian
word: lesk
lang: Ewe
word: ahosi
lang: Faroese
word: einkja
lang: Finnish
word: leski
lang: French
word: veuve
lang: West-Frisian
word: widdo
lang: Friulian
word: vedue
lang: Galician
word: viúva
lang: Georgian
word: ქვრივი
roman: kvrivi
lang: German
word: Witwe
lang: Gothic
word: 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉
roman: widuwō
lang: Greek
word: χήρα
roman: chíra
lang: Ancient Greek
word: χήρα
roman: khḗra
lang: Pontic Greek
word: χ̌έρα
roman: šéra
lang: Gujarati
word: વિધવા
roman: vidhvā
lang: Gujarati
word: રાંડીરાંડ
roman: rā̃ḍīrā̃ḍ
lang: Gujarati
word: બેવા
roman: bevā
lang: Haitian Creole
word: vèv
lang: Hebrew
word: אַלְמָנָה
roman: almaná
lang: Higaonon
word: balo
lang: Hindi
word: विधवा
roman: vidhvā
lang: Hindi
word: बेवा
roman: bevā
lang: Hungarian
word: özvegy
lang: Hungarian
word: özvegyasszony
lang: Iban
word: balu
lang: Icelandic
word: ekkja
lang: Ido
word: vidvino
lang: Indonesian
word: janda
lang: Ingrian
word: leski
lang: Ingrian
word: leskinain
lang: Ingush
word: жеро
roman: žero
lang: Iranun
word: balu
lang: Irish
word: baintreach
lang: Middle Irish
word: baintrebthach
lang: Old Irish
word: fedb
lang: Istriot
word: viduva
lang: Italian
word: vedova
lang: Japanese
word: 寡婦
roman: yamome
lang: Japanese
word: 未亡人
roman: mibōjin
lang: Japanese
word: 後家
roman: goke
lang: Japanese
word: 空き家
roman: akiya
lang: Javanese
word: randha
lang: Old Javanese
word: raṇḍa
lang: Old Javanese
word: walu
lang: Judeo-Italian
word: וֵידוּוַה
lang: Kashubian
word: gdowa
lang: Kashubian
word: wdowa
lang: Kazakh
word: жесір әйел
roman: jesır äiel
lang: Kazakh
word: тұл әйел
roman: tūl äiel
lang: Kazakh
word: тұл жесір
roman: tūl jesır
lang: Khmer
word: មេម៉ាយ
roman: mei maay
lang: Khmer
word: ម៉ាយ
roman: maay
lang: Khmer
word: វិធវា
roman: vithĕəʼviə
lang: Korean
word: 홀어미
roman: horeomi
lang: Korean
word: 과부
roman: gwabu
lang: Northern Kurdish
word: bîjin
lang: Northern Kurdish
word: jinebî
lang: Kyrgyz
word: жесир аял
roman: jesir ayal
lang: Lao
word: ແມ່ໝ້າຍ
roman: mǣ māi
lang: Lao
word: ໝ້າຍ
roman: māi
lang: Latin
word: vidua
lang: Latvian
word: atraitne
lang: Laz
word: შირა
roman: şira
lang: Lithuanian
word: našlė
lang: Livonian
word: lešknai
lang: Livonian
word: atrāitanai
lang: Lower Tanana
word: titwxenh
lang: Macedonian
word: вдовица
roman: vdovica
lang: Malagasy
word: mpananotena
lang: Malay
word: janda
lang: Malay
word: balu
lang: Malayalam
word: വിധവ
roman: vidhava
lang: Maltese
word: armla
lang: Māori
word: pouaru
lang: Māori
word: takahore
lang: Maranao
word: balo
lang: Marathi
word: विद्वा
roman: vidvā
lang: Central Melanau
word: jabul
lang: Mongolian
word: бэлэвсэн эхнэр
roman: belevsen exner
lang: Navajo
word: asdzání bahastiin daaztsánígíí
lang: Niuean
word: takape
lang: Norman
word: veuve
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: enke
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: enkje
lang: Occitan
word: veusa
lang: Odia
word: ନିସଙ୍ଗ ଧାଡ଼ି
roman: nisaṅga dhāṛi
lang: Church Slavic
word: въдова
roman: vŭdova
lang: Church Slavic
word: ⰲⱏⰴⱁⰲⰰ
roman: vŭdova
lang: Old East Slavic
word: въдова
roman: vŭdova
lang: Old English
word: widuwe
lang: Old Norse
word: ænkia
lang: Old Norse
word: ekkia
lang: Old Turkic
word: 𐱄𐰆𐰟
roman: tul
lang: Ossetian
word: идӕдз ус
roman: idæʒ us
lang: Pali
word: vidhavā
lang: Pannonian Rusyn
word: ґдова
roman: gdova
lang: Pannonian Rusyn
word: ґдовица
roman: gdovica
lang: Pashto
word: کونډه
roman: kwǝ́nḍa
lang: Pashto
word: باربلېزه
roman: bārbelíza
lang: Dari
word: بیوَه
roman: bēwa
lang: Iranian Persian
word: بیوِه
roman: bive
lang: Phoenician
word: 𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤕
roman: ʾlmt
lang: Piedmontese
word: vidoa
lang: Plautdietsch
word: Wätfru
lang: Polish
word: wdowa
lang: Portuguese
word: viúva
lang: Punjabi
word: ਵਿਧਵਾ
roman: vidhvā
lang: Quechua
word: ikma
lang: Romanian
word: văduvă
lang: Russian
word: вдова́
roman: vdová
lang: Russian
word: вдови́ца
roman: vdovíca
lang: Saho
word: gubnä
lang: Northern Sami
word: leaska
lang: Sanskrit
word: विधवा
roman: vidhavā
lang: Sardinian
word: fiuda
lang: Scots
word: weedae
lang: Scots
word: weedae-wife
lang: Scottish Gaelic
word: banntrach
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: у̀дова
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: удо̀вица
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: ùdova
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: udòvica
lang: Sicilian
word: vìduva
lang: Sicilian
word: vìdua
lang: Silesian
word: gdowa
lang: Sindhi
word: وڌوا
roman: odhvā
lang: Slovak
word: vdova
lang: Slovene
word: vdova
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: hudowa
lang: Upper Sorbian
word: wudowa
lang: Spanish
word: viuda
lang: Swahili
word: mjane
lang: Swedish
word: änka
lang: Tajik
word: бева
roman: beva
lang: Talysh
word: vev
lang: Talysh
word: ویوهژن
roman: viva-žen
lang: Tamil
word: விதவை
roman: vitavai
lang: Tarifit
word: tajjatš
lang: Tat
word: biyə
lang: Tausug
word: balu
lang: Thai
word: แม่ม่าย
roman: mɛ̂ɛ-mâai
lang: Thai
word: แม่หม้าย
roman: mɛ̂ɛ-mâai
lang: Thai
word: ม่าย
roman: mâai
lang: Thai
word: หม้าย
roman: mâai
lang: Tigrinya
word: መበለት
roman: mäbälät
lang: Turkish
word: dul
lang: Turkmen
word: dul aýal
lang: Turkmen
word: dul zenan
lang: Ugaritic
word: 𐎀𐎍𐎎𐎐𐎚
lang: Ukrainian
word: вдова́
roman: vdová
lang: Ukrainian
word: удова́
roman: udová
lang: Ukrainian
word: вдови́ця
roman: vdovýcja
lang: Ukrainian
word: удови́ця
roman: udovýcja
lang: Urdu
word: بیوَہ
roman: beva
lang: Urdu
word: وِیڈو
roman: vīḍo
lang: Urdu
word: وِدْھوا
roman: vidhvā
lang: Uyghur
word: تۇل خوتۇن
roman: tul xotun
lang: Uyghur
word: تۇل
roman: tul
lang: Uzbek
word: tul
lang: Uzbek
word: beva
lang: Venetan
word: védoa
lang: Vietnamese
word: quả phụ
lang: Vietnamese
word: goá
lang: Volapük
word: jiviudan
lang: Votic
word: lehči
lang: Welsh
word: gweddw
lang: Yámana
word: šupun-kipa
lang: Yiddish
word: אַלמנה
roman: almone
lang: Yiddish
word: אַלמאָנע
roman: almone
lang: Yup'ik
word: aipaineq