Word
wives
US/ˈwaɪvz/
UK/wˈaɪvz/
Definition
n. more than one married woman.
n. the plural form of wife, referring to two or more women in a marital relationship.
Examples
“The two brothers and their wives went on vacation together.”
“In many modern societies, it is common for both husbands and wives to work full-time jobs to support the household.”
“The historical novel explores the lives of the king's six wives, detailing the political alliances and personal tragedies that defined each of their brief reigns.”
Examples
simple
“The two brothers and their wives went on vacation together.”
contextual
“In many modern societies, it is common for both husbands and wives to work full-time jobs to support the household.”
complex
“The historical novel explores the lives of the king's six wives, detailing the political alliances and personal tragedies that defined each of their brief reigns.”
Usage
always used as the plural form of 'wife'
Teaching tip
Learners often forget the f-to-v spelling change; group this with 'lives', 'knives', and 'leaves' to help them remember the pattern.
Pitfall
The two wifes went to the shop.
The two wives went to the shop.
Nouns ending in '-fe' like 'wife' or 'life' usually change to '-ves' in the plural.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/wives