Widow, Widowhood, Widower

WIDOW, WIDOWHOOD, WIDOWER - An unmarried woman whose husband is dead.

In legal writings, widow is an addition given to a woman who is unmarried and whose husband is dead. The addition of spinster is given to a woman who never was married.

WIDOWHOOD - The state of a man whose wife is dead or of a woman whose husband is dead. In general there is no law to regulate the time during whichh a man must remain a widower, or a woman a widow, before they marry a second time. The term widowhood is mostly applied to the state or condition of a widow.

WIDOWER - A man whose wife is dead. A widower has a right to administer to his wife's separate estate, and as her administrator to collect debts due to her, generally for his own use.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.