Wid″ow (?), n. [OE. widewe, widwe, AS. weoduwe, widuwe, wuduwe; akin to OFries. widwe, OS. widowa, D. weduwe, G. wittwe, witwe, OHG. wituwa, witawa, Goth. widuw�, Russ. udova, OIr. fedb, W. gweddw, L. vidua, Skr. vidhavā; and probably to Skr. vidh to be empty, to lack; cf. Gr. � a bachelor. ����. Cf. Vidual.] A woman who has lost her husband by death, and has not married again; one living bereaved of a husband. “A poor widow.” Chaucer.
Grass widow. See under Grass. — Widow bewitched, a woman separated from her husband; a grass widow. — Widow-in-mourning(Zoöl.), the macavahu. — Widow monkey(Zoöl.), a small South American monkey (Callithrix lugens); — so called on account of its color, which is black except the dull whitish arms, neck, and face, and a ring of pure white around the face. — Widow's chamber(Eng. Law), in London, the apparel and furniture of the bedchamber of the widow of a freeman, to which she was formerly entitled.