Pronunciation: (wīf), [key]
—n., pl. wivesPronunciation: (wīvz), [key]
—v., wifed, wif•ing.
1. a woman joined in marriage to a man; a woman considered in relation to her husband; spouse.
2. a woman (archaic or dial., except in idioms): old wives' tale.
3. take to wife, to marry (a particular woman): He took an heiress to wife.
a combining form of wife, now unproductive, occurring in compound words that in general designate traditional roles or occupations of women: fishwife; goodwife; housewife; midwife.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.