Ex-wife – a woman who used to be a wife but isn’t anymore since the marriage came to an end owing to either divorce or legal dissolution.
The use of “ex” shows a previous status, while “ex-wife” shows that there once existed a marriage in place that has been officially dissolved; therefore, it cannot be used interchangeably with “ex-girlfriend” or “ex-partner.”
Pronunciation & Spoken Tips for “Ex-Wife”
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The prefix ex receives the secondary stress /eks/ and is always clearly articulated, never being reduced to a whisper. The vowel in “wife” /aɪ/ is a long diphthong and is identical to the one in “life”, “knife” and “drive”, so let it move freely from /a/ to /ɪ/.
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“Ex-Wife”: The Irregular Plural
This is the grammatical reason why “ex-wife” is unique among all “ex-” compounds: the word has an irregular plural form. The noun “wife” belongs to a select few English nouns that have an irregular plural form: the “fe” ending changes to “ves.” Other words in the same category include “knives,” “leaves,” and “lives.”
|
Form |
Example |
|---|---|
|
Singular: ex-wife |
His
|
|
Correct plural: ex-wives |
He has two
|
|
Singular possessive: ex-wife’s |
His
|
|
Plural possessive: ex-wives’ |
Both
|
|
With “an”: an ex-wife |
He had an
|
|
Informal shortening: ex |
Tom mentioned his
|
“Ex-Wife” vs. “Former Wife”: Register and Context
Just as with “ex-husband,” the choice between using “ex-wife” and “former wife” boils down to nothing more than formality, since they both refer to the same person. The distinction is especially relevant for professional and legal writing, where the former is deemed standard, although there is nothing wrong with the latter.
|
Term |
Register |
Where It Belongs |
|---|---|---|
|
ex-wife |
Informal to neutral |
Everyday conversation, personal writing, journalism, social contexts |
|
former wife |
Formal to neutral |
Legal documents, official correspondence, formal reporting, obituaries |
|
ex |
Informal shorthand |
Spoken casual English, text messages, personal conversation |
Common Collocations with a Noun “Ex-Wife”
The collocations around “ex-wife” span personal relationships, legal proceedings, and co-parenting arrangements, reflecting the real range of situations in which the word appears.
|
Phrase |
Explanation |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
co-parent with an ex-wife |
raise children together after a divorce |
He
|
|
share custody with an ex-wife |
jointly care for children after separation |
He
|
|
remain on good terms with an ex-wife |
maintain a friendly relationship after divorce |
Adam
|
|
reach a settlement with an ex-wife |
agree on financial or legal matters |
He
|
|
stay in contact with an ex-wife |
continue communicating after the marriage ends |
He
|
|
hear from an ex-wife |
receive a message or communication from a former wife |
He
|
The Most Common Mistakes with the Word “Ex-Wife” to Avoid
This is where the common mistakes lie regarding the use of this word, with particular emphasis on its irregular plural form. Go through each one along with the explanation.
|
Why? |
||
|---|---|---|
|
He has two ex-wifes.
|
He has two ex-wives.
|
“Wife” has an irregular plural: “wives.” The “fe” becomes “ves.” “Ex-wifes” does not exist. |
|
He lives near his ex wife.
|
He lives near his ex-wife.
|
The hyphen is mandatory. No space without a hyphen. |
|
My exwife called.
|
My ex-wife called.
|
No hyphen is also incorrect. “Ex-” always takes a hyphen before a compound noun. |
|
My former ex-wife.
|
My ex-wife. OR
My former wife.
|
“Former” and “ex-” both mean the same thing. Using both is redundant. |
|
She is his ex-wife of 2019.
|
She became his ex-wife in 2019.
|
“Ex-wife of [year]” is not standard English. Use a verb to express when the divorce happened. |
“Ex-Wife” in Other Languages
Vocabulary concerning family and relationships tends to differ considerably from one language to another. Learning about the way “ex-wife” is referred to in different languages may help you identify patterns and comprehend international discourse more easily.
|
Language |
Translation |
|---|---|
|
|
ex mujer / ex esposa |
|
|
ex-femme |
|
|
Ex-Frau |
