1. a woman whose husband is away often or for a prolonged period:"grass widows parted from their husbands by golf or similar obsessional activities"
Word Originearly 16th century (denoting an unmarried woman with a child): from grass + widow, perhaps from the idea of the couple having lain on the grass instead of in bed. The current sense dates from the mid 19th century; compare with Dutch grasweduwe and German Strohwitwe ‘straw widow’.
