A human female that has become the life partner of another. Not to be confused with slave which is a life long subordinate yet they may take that role as well.
There is typically parental approval, lust, love, a religious ceremony, expensive gifts, sex, physical displays of affection, pointless arguments, government meddling, and a voluntary agreement to be a wife involved. Not necessarily in that order.
Many "wives" despite their role as a lifelong partner abandon or resume their role as a wife casually which leads many to suspect most women are inherently too stupid to understand the concept of a lifelong partner or too disloyal to abide by the concept even if they comprehend it.