Plural of alewife; multiple women who brewed or sold ale, or multiple fish of the alewife species.
The plural form of 'alewife,' using the irregular pluralization 'wife' to 'wives.' The term applies both to historical female ale vendors and to a modern species of fish (Alosa pseudoharengus).
In medieval England, alewives were so influential that some towns had laws specifically about what they could charge for ale—and as fish, alewives make such epic spawning runs that Native Americans called them 'the return of the fish!'
Plural of alewife; perpetuates the feminine-gendered designation for women in the ale trade, with similar historical implications regarding economic erasure and role-based gender categorization.
Use 'ale keepers' or 'ale house keepers' for inclusive reference to people of any gender in this profession.
["ale keepers","ale house keepers","publicans"]
Women ale keepers were foundational to medieval and early modern economies; many held licenses, property, and civic standing that modern scholarship is recovering.
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