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wive. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
wive, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
wive in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
wive you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From Middle English wiven, iwiven, from Old English wīfian, wīfiġan, ġewīfian (“to take a wife; marry”).
Pronunciation
Verb
wive (third-person singular simple present wives, present participle wiving, simple past and past participle wived)
- (transitive, intransitive) To marry (a woman).
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :If he have the condition of a saint and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me.
- (transitive) To provide (someone) with a wife.
Synonyms
- wife (slang, African-American Vernacular)
Anagrams
Middle English
Etymology 1
A version of wyf with the voiced consonant analogically brought in from the plural forms.
Noun
wive
- Alternative form of wyf
Etymology 2
From Old English wīfa, nominative plural of wīf.
Noun
wive
- Alternative form of wyve (“wives”)