Wife-in-law

Quick meaning: Wife-in-law is a noun meaning A wife in law only, such as one who has abandoned her husband.

Meaning

A wife in law only, such as one who has abandoned her husband.

More Meanings

1. A wife who provides domestic or social support, but not love or affection
2. Another wife of one's husband. Typically used in cases of divorce and subsequent remarriage for one's husband's ex-wife, but sometimes used in polygamy for a co-wife.

Example Sentences

Many husbands, like the wives-in-law themselves, were deeply divided and upset over a family life that could no longer be defined as a single unit.

"Your plan provides Browne with two charming wives and gives me but one. […]" "But, my lord," said Saunders, "doesn't the plan give Lady Deppingham two husbands? It's quite a fair division." "It would make Lord Deppingham my husband-in-law, I imagine," said Drusilla quaintly. "I've always had a horror of husbands-in-law." "And you would be my wife-in-law," supplemented Lady Agnes. "How interesting!"

Synonyms for wife-in-law

Depending on context, synonyms include co-wife, sister-wife.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include husband-in-law, aunt-in-law, side-wife, sister-in-law, nonwife, child-in-law.

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