widow
/ˈwɪdoʊ/
noun
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*widhewo- — widowed, empty
Overview
Meaning Now
- a woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again
Literal older meaning
void or empty one
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
widewe
Earliest period
10th century
Journey
The word stems from a root meaning 'to separate' or 'empty', highlighting the social and legal status of a woman left alone after her spouse's death. It is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'vidhávā', showing deep Indo-European roots.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*widhewo-
“separate, empty”
- Proto-Germanic
*widuwōn
“widow”
- Old English
widewe
“woman whose husband is dead”
- Middle English
widewe
“widow”
- Modern English
widow
“woman whose husband has died”
Connections
Related across languages
Sanskrit
vidhávā
widow
Latin
vidua
widow
Old Church Slavonic
vidova
widow
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.