wittol

[wit-l]

noun

Archaic.

1. a man who knows of and tolerates his wife's infidelity.

wittol

/ ˈwɪtəl /

noun

1. obsolete,  a man who tolerates his wife's unfaithfulness

Word History and Origins

Origin of wittol¹

1400–50; late Middle English wetewold, equivalent to wete wit ² + ( coke ) wold cuckold

Word History and Origins

Origin of wittol¹

C15 wetewold, from witen to know (see _wit ²) + -wold, perhaps from cokewold _cuckold

Example Sentences

And to think," he said, "that all this time I have thought of him as my pet diversion, my wittol, my moon-calf!

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Other words on the list include "wittol"– a man who tolerates his wife's infidelity, which has not been much used since the 1940s.

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Her conduct may indeed involve his dishonor, if he is what used to be called a wittol, but even then his dishonor is because of his own disgrace.

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Eugène, the hero, a rich and luxurious churchman, is in love with Alix, whom, to save appearances, he has married to a wittol of the name of Guillaume.

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Say, once and always, Luca was a wittol, I am his cutthroat, you are— Ottima.Here's the wine; I brought it when we left the house above,55 And glasses too—wine of both sorts.

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