old wife

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English ald wyf, eld wiif, olde wyffe. === Noun === old wife (plural old wives) An old woman, later especially one who tells old wives' tales. [from 9th c.] Any of various marine fishes [from 16th c.]: Alternative form: oldwife the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) A species of perciform fish endemic to the temperate coastal waters of Australia (Enoplosus armatus) Balistes vetula (Queen triggerfish) Certain spot-tail porgies (Diplodus ascensionis, Diplodus helenae) Spondyliosoma cantharus (black seabream) Trachinotus goodei (great pompano) A wrasse (Canada, US, now rare) The long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis. [from 17th c.] (Scotland) A chimney cap to prevent smoking. [from 19th c.] ==== Derived terms ==== old-wifely old-wifery old-wifish old wives' tale === References === old wife on Wikipedia.Wikipedia