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Simple English definitions for legal terms
wife
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A quick definition of wife:
A wife is a woman who is married to a man. This means they have promised to love and take care of each other for the rest of their lives. Sometimes, a woman can also be a common-law wife if she lives with a man and acts like they are married. However, it is not okay for a husband to hurt or abuse his wife in any way.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A wife is a married woman who has a lawful husband living. It can also refer to a woman who contracts an informal marriage with a man and then holds herself out to the community as being married to him, known as a common-law wife. In the past, it was also used to refer to a concubine.
Examples:
- My friend's wife is a doctor.
- John and Mary have been living together for years and consider themselves common-law husband and wife.
The first example illustrates a traditional marriage where the woman is legally married to her husband. The second example illustrates a common-law marriage where the couple has not gone through a formal marriage ceremony but still considers themselves married.
Note: The term "wife" can also be used in the context of polygamous marriages, where a man has two or more wives. However, this practice is illegal in many countries.