What does wifed mean?
“Wifed” is a dated English adjective meaning married or, more literally, having a wife. It is usually used of a man and is now encountered chiefly in older writing, where it may carry a formal, archaic, or occasionally humorous tone. In a sentence such as “He was wifed but had no children,” the word does not describe the character of the marriage; it simply states that he had married. Modern speakers normally use “married” or “wedded” instead. The word can also suggest a traditional social assumption: that a man’s status includes having a wife, with “wifeless” serving as its familiar opposite. Because it is rare rather than wholly obsolete, the adjective is chiefly useful to readers encountering older English. The form is built on “wife,” with the suffix “-ed” creating an adjective. Its final consonant cluster is pronounced /ft/, so the standard pronunciation is /waɪft/.
adjectiveHaving a wife; married. The term is now dated and is chiefly used of a man.
- Having a wife; married, especially a man.
"By then he was wifed, with a young family and a house in the village."
"By then he was wifed, with a young family and a house in the village."
"The comic contrast between being “wifed” and being “wifeless” gives the old novel its period flavour."
“Wifed” is a married man in miniature: add “-ed” to “wife,” and an everyday label becomes a relic of older English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wifed
Wifed is an English adjective formed from wife with the suffix -ed. Wife comes through Middle English from Old English wīf, originally a broader word for a woman; the base is cognate with German Weib and Dutch wijf. The specialized adjective is now rare, so it is best understood as a historical or stylistic alternative to married.
How wifed is actually used
Now chiefly encountered in older or consciously archaic prose. It can sound formal, quaint, or jocular, particularly when contrasted with “wifeless.”
Easily confused with wifed
“Wife” is the noun for a married woman, whereas “wifed” is a rare adjective meaning married or having a wife.