SOURCE 01supportshistorical dictionary
Wife — Definition and Word History
Publishes the inherited older form and related woman history.
Etymology: Old English wīf- AUTHOR / EDITOR
- Merriam-Webster Editors
- YEAR
- 2026
- PUBLISHER
- Merriam-Webster
PERMANENT DISPUTE RECORD
ALL DISPUTES ↗CLAIM / COUNTERCLAIM / LIMITRECORD 280
DISPUTE
RECORD.
One scholarly question. Every attached source. The present editorial state, without pretending the last word has been written.
resolvedestablished
Did wife always mean only a female spouse?
No. Old English wīf and Middle English wif could mean woman as well as wife.
WORD UNDER REVIEWDISPUTE 280
wife
/waɪf/ · noun
A married woman in relation to a spouse; inherited from Old English wīf, whose historical field included woman more generally.
01
DIRECT CLAIM EVIDENCE
2 SOURCES WITH A STANCE
A citation is not a vote. Each record says whether the work supports, challenges, contradicts, or contextualizes the position—and identifies the exact locus used.
SOURCE 02contexthistorical dictionary
Wife — American Heritage Dictionary
Independently preserves the secure line.
Etymology: Middle English wif, Old English wīf- AUTHOR / EDITOR
- American Heritage Dictionary Editors
- YEAR
- 2022
- PUBLISHER
- HarperCollins
02 / EDITORIAL STATE
THE CURRENT RECORD IS RESOLVED.
- CONFIDENCE
- established
- STATUS
- resolved
- LEGACY SOURCE SUMMARY
- Merriam-Webster and American Heritage publish the older forms; the woman compound independently preserves the woman sense.
The wife dossier shares its Old English node with the first component of woman.