a woman whose spouse has died and who has not remarried
Old English widewe, from Proto-Germanic *widuwon, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁widʰéwh₂
Widow is one of the oldest words in English, virtually unchanged for over a thousand years. The male equivalent 'widower' is much newer - historically, men were expected to remarry quickly!
Widow is gendered (widower for men) and historically marked women as property loss and dependent status in legal/economic systems.
Use 'widow' or 'widower' as appropriate, or gender-neutral 'bereaved spouse' or 'surviving spouse' depending on context.
["bereaved spouse","surviving spouse","widower","widow"]
Historically, widows had restricted property rights and autonomy; widow's agency and economic independence were often legally denied.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.