# wife

/ˈwaɪf/ (US) · /wˈaɪf/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wife
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. married woman

noun · CEFR A1

the woman that someone is married to.

For teachers: a female partner in a marriage relationship.

- He introduced his wife to the new neighbours at the garden party.
- The CEO attended the charity gala accompanied by his wife, who serves as the foundation's primary legal advisor.

### 3. to marry

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

to marry a woman.

For teachers: to take a woman as a wife.

- He decided he wanted to wife her after only three months of dating.
- The protagonist's sudden decision to wife the stranger he met in the village surprised the entire community.

Usage: Often used in modern slang to imply a serious commitment or the act of making someone a permanent partner.

## Examples

- He lives in a small house with his wife.
- After the ceremony, he introduced his wife to all of his colleagues from the office.
- The explorer often credited his wife for managing their estate and finances during his long absences in the polar regions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.