Meanings
noungold star wife (plural gold star wives)
plural gold star wives
- USgovernmentThe widow of a member of the United States armed forces who was killed in action.
Origin
From gold star (“(attributively) relative of a United States soldier when the latter has been killed in action”) + wife. Gold star refers to stars of that colour traditionally shown on service flags displayed by families of members of the U.S. armed forces.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with gold star wife
lifewifeknifefifestriferifetrifebag for lifeDutch wifeGod's lifehigh on lifekifeoyster knifeshifeunder the knifewithin an inch of one's life
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
gold star wife. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gold%20star%20wife
MLA
“gold star wife.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gold%20star%20wife. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gold star wife,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gold%20star%20wife.
Source: gold star wife on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.