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widowhood

American  
[wid-oh-hood] / ˈwɪd oʊˌhʊd /

noun

  1. the state or a period of being a widow or, sometimes, a widower.


Etymology

Origin of widowhood

before 900; Middle English wid ( e ) wehood, Old English widuwanhād, equivalent to widuwan, genitive singular of widuwe widow + -hād -hood


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Gomez-Cardona also recommends that couples stress-test their retirement plans for widowhood.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

After his father’s death, Robert seemed more interested in promoting his own political career than in helping his mother cope with widowhood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

The remarks drew attention for their deeply personal nature, given Massie’s long record of public service and the sensitive circumstances of his widowhood.

From Salon ● Nov. 16, 2025

Chernow ends with a brief chapter devoted to Eliza’s life during her 50 years of widowhood, while Vaill makes her the focus of the 100-plus pages of Part 3.

From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2025

Eight, maybe nine, months he gave her of widowhood, and then she'd find someone to grow old with on his life insurance.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

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