old wife

English

Noun

old wife (plural old wives)

1. An old woman, later especially one who tells old wives' tales. [from 9th c.]
2. Any of various marine fishes [from 16th c.]:
   1. the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)
   2. A species of perciform fish endemic to the temperate coastal waters of Australia ()
   3. (Queen triggerfish)
   4. Certain spot-tail porgies (, )
   5. (black seabream)
   6. (great pompano)
   7. A wrasse
3. (Canada, US, now rare) The long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis. [from 17th c.]
   • 1634, William Wood, New Englands Prospect, I:

     The Oldwives, be a foule that never leave tatling day or night, ſomething bigger than a Ducke.

4. (Scotland) A chimney cap to prevent smoking. [from 19th c.]

See also

• old wives' tale

References

• old wife on Wikipedia.Wikipedia