a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
"After twenty years of marriage, Tom surprised his wife by taking her to Paris for their anniversary."
A married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.
"My wife decided to surprise me by booking a weekend trip to the coast without telling anyone else first."
In plain English: A wife is a woman who is legally married to a man.
"His wife loves to bake cookies on Sundays."
Usage: Use this term specifically when referring to a man's female partner after they have legally or formally committed their marriage vows. It is distinct from general terms like girlfriend because it implies the specific legal and social status of being wedded together.
to marry
"After they decided to get married, John's parents were thrilled that he had finally found someone to wife him."
In plain English: To be married to someone.
"They decided to wife their children early so they could settle down in the village."
The word "wife" comes from the Old English term wīf, which originally meant both "woman" and "wife." It traveled into modern English through Middle English with this dual meaning intact.