goodwife

[ good-wahyf ]

/ ˈgʊdˌwaɪf /

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noun, plural good·wives

[good-wahyvz]. /ˈgʊdˌwaɪvz/.

Chiefly Scot. the mistress of a household.

(initial capital letter)Archaic. a title of respect for a woman.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of goodwife

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at good, wife

Words nearby goodwife

good thing, good time, good-time Charlie, good turn, good usage, goodwife, goodwill, goodwilly, Goodwin Sands, Goodwood, good word

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use goodwife in a sentence

He was disguised as a woman, and appeared to be a simple old peasant goodwife.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Goodman and goodwife were in those days used in the same way as Mr. and Mrs. are now.
Notes and Queries for Worcestershire|John Noake
Goodwife Hunter was gagged and made to stand in the stocks for "Sundry exhorbitance of ye toung."
Ocean to Ocean on Horseback|Willard Glazier
Then my father looked in at the door and said, "'Tis time, goodwife, for young folks to be abed."
Constance Sherwood|Lady Georgiana Fullerton

Once a "goodwife" by the name of Alice Flynt was required to show that she was worth money enough to be able to wear a silk hood.
The Story of American History|Albert F. Blaisdell

British Dictionary definitions for goodwife

goodwife

/ (ˈɡʊdˌwaɪf) /

noun plural -wives archaic

the mistress of a household

a woman not of gentle birth: used as a title

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012