noun / verb
widow
WID-oh/ˈwɪdəʊ/
A woman whose spouse has died and who has not remarried, or to cause that loss.
The widow keeps a photograph of her late spouse nearby.
Etymology
Old English widewe already meant “widow.” Its deeper ancestry is thought to connect the word with separation, presenting widowhood as the loss of a spouse.
In context
a widow woman who had just lost her husband the love of her life
More examples
- The support group welcomes widows of all ages.
- The accident widowed her when she was thirty.
- She has been widowed for five years.
Forms
widow · widows · widowed · widowing
widowhood noun — The state of being a widow.
Similar words
- bereave
- Means depriving someone of any loved one, not just a spouse.
- survivor
- Includes anyone outliving another person, regardless of gender or remarriage.