wifebeater

or wife-beat·er

[ wahyf-bee-ter ]

noun

a man who beats his wife.
Slang: Offensive. a white, sleeveless, close-fitting man’s undershirt, often worn as an outer shirt.

Compare Meanings

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

Origin of wifebeater

First recorded in 1650–60 for def. 1 and in 1990–95 for def. 2; wife + beater

Words Nearby wifebeater

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

How to use wifebeater in a sentence

When the song ends, one of the wifebeater boys onstage calls out: “If you ladies got some good coochie, bring it on up here!”
Inside the Dead Girl's Wild Nightclub | Jeff Deeney | July 25, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for wife-beater

wife-beater

noun

a man who hits his wife

Derived forms of wife-beater

wife-beating, noun

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

Browse