Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

old wife

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.11 in modern English

Syllables: old wife
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An old woman, later especially one who tells old wives' tales.

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

noun

Any of various marine fishes :

Example Sentences

"Once John, being overtaken in drink on the roadside by the cottage, and dreaming that he was burning in hell, awoke and saw the old wife hobbling toward him. Thereupon he fled soberly to the hills, and from that day became a quiet-living, humble-minded Christian."
"The Oldvvives, be a foule that never leave tatling day or night, ſomething bigger than a Ducke."

Etymology

From Middle English ald wyf, eld wiif, olde wyffe.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: ald wyf

Usage

Inflected Forms

old wives (plural)

Phrases

old-wifely old-wifery old-wifish old wives' tale

Frequently Paired Words

oldwife

Questions

What does old wife mean?: An old woman, later especially one who tells old wives' tales.
Where does old wife come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce old wife

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