Meanings
nounmidow (plural midows)
plural midows
- neologismslangA spouse or caregiver of a partner with progressive cognitive decline (such as Alzheimer's disease), experiencing a state of ambiguous loss before biological death.
After five years of caring for her husband with dementia, she found comfort in a support group for fellow **midows**.
Origin
Blend of middle + widow. Coined within caregiver and Alzheimer's support groups.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
midow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midow
MLA
“midow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midow. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “midow,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/midow.
Source: midow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.