die Ehefrau, -en
wife
Eine Frau, die mit einem Mann durch eine offizielle Ehe verbunden ist.
Definition & meaning
An Ehefrau is the female spouse in a marriage. It refers to a woman who is legally married to her husband.
- In a legal or formal context, it refers to the status of a woman within a civil or religious marriage union.
- In everyday usage, it is the standard term for "wife."
Grammar & Word origin
The word is a feminine noun and takes the plural form Ehefrauen.
The word is a compound noun consisting of two parts:
- Ehe: Meaning "marriage" or "matrimony."
- Frau: Meaning "woman" or "lady."
Historically, it defines the woman as being part of an "Ehe" .
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Gattin (a more formal or elevated term for spouse)
- Ehegattin (formal, legal term for wife)
- Frau (commonly used in everyday speech to mean "my wife")
Antonyms:
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Examples
Meine Ehefrau ist Ärztin.noun
My wife is a doctor.
Seine Ehefrau arbeitet als Lehrerin.noun
His wife works as a teacher.
Meine Ehefrau und ich haben gerade einen Spaziergang gemacht.noun
My wife and I just went for a walk.
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