Uxorial

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ʌkˈsɔː.ɹɪ.əl/

Definitions

1. Pertaining to the responsibilities and qualities associated with being a wife in a marital context
2. Relating to the specific traits and duties of a woman in her role as a spouse within a marriage
3. Concerning the characteristics and obligations tied to the role of a wife in the context of marriage

Etymology: "Uxorial" comes from the Latin "uxor," meaning "wife," with the adjective-forming ending "-ius," which produced "uxorius," meaning "of or pertaining to a wife." That Latin adjective had a second sense that English kept in view: "overly fond of one's wife," a pointed hint that devotion to a spouse could tip into excess. English then added its own suffix "-al," the common ending for adjectives, to arrive at the modern form. The word's older Latin sense of doting husband survives in the source's gloss, though the English word has mostly settled on the neutral meaning of relating to wives. The "-al" ending is ordinary English, so the word is essentially a Latin stem joined to a familiar English suffix, with the Latin adjective already carrying both its neutral and its teasing meanings.