widow etymology

Etymology:

  • Middle English: widewe, from Old English widuwe, ultimately from Latin viduus ("widower")

Meaning:

  • A woman who has lost her husband through death

Origin:

The word "widow" traces its origins back to the Proto-Indo-European root *widh- ("to be empty"), which is also found in words such as "widower" and "void." The Latin term viduus originally referred to a man who had lost his wife, but its meaning was eventually extended to include women as well.

In English, the word "widow" first appears in the early 11th century. It is closely related to the word "widower," which emerged around the same time. Both words have undergone slight changes in spelling over the centuries, but their meanings have remained essentially the same.

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