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Wife vs Rife - What's the difference?

wife | rife |

As a noun wife

is a married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.

As an adjective rife is

widespread, common (especially of unpleasant or harmful things).

As an adverb rife is

plentifully, abundantly.

wife

English

Noun

(wives)
  • A married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.
    • My wife and I have decided to have a baby.
  • * (The Fisherman and His Wife)
  • * , chapter=10
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
  • The female of a pair of mated animals.

    • Usage notes

    Although not common, wife'' can be used with ''the to indicate one's own wife. For instance, "I'd like to go, but the wife wants me home." More commonly, "my wife".

    Synonyms

    * (married woman) better half, life partner, little woman (slang), partner, significant other, spouse * See also

    Antonyms

    * (married woman) husband, were (obsolete)

    See also

    * uxorial

    Derived terms

    (Terms derived from the noun "wife") * (From woman) alewife * (partner) co-wife * (partner) ex-wife * (woman) fishwife * (woman) goodwife * (partner) housewife * (partner) huswife * (partner) man and wife/I now declare you man and wife * (woman) midwife * (woman) old wife/old-wife/oldwife * (woman) pudding-wife * seawife * sister-wife * spaewife * (partner) trophy wife * (partner) wife-beater * (woman/partner) wifehood * (partner) wifeless * (woman) wifely * (partner) wifey (wife)

    See also

    * (wikipedia "wife")

    References

    *

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    rife

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Widespread, common (especially of unpleasant or harmful things).
    • Smallpox was rife after the siege had been lifted.
  • * Arbuthnot
    • Before the plague of London, inflammations of the lungs were rife and mortal.
  • * Milton
    • The tumult of loud mirth was rife .
  • * 1900 , Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams'', ''Avon Books , (translated by James Strachey) pg. 170:
    • The 'denominational considerations' mentioned below relate, of course, to anti-Semitic feeling, which was already rife in Vienna during the last years of the nineteenth century.
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic climbs highest to sink Benfica'' (in ''The Guardian , 15 May 2013)[http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/15/benfica-chelsea-europa-league]
    • They will have to reflect on a seventh successive defeat in a European final while Chelsea try to make sense of an eccentric season rife with controversy and bad feeling but once again one finishing on an exhilarating high.
  • Abounding; present in large numbers, plentiful.
    • These woodlands are rife with red deer.
  • (obsolete) Having power; active; nimble.
  • * J. Webster
    • What! I am rife a little yet.

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Plentifully, abundantly.
    • The snowdrops grow rife on the slopes of Mount Pembroke.

    Anagrams

    * ----