[Ads-l] Antedating of "Wife" (Sense 7.b. in OED)

[Shapiro, Fred]

wife (OED, 7.b., 1896)

1883 Alienist and Neurologist IV. 89 or 90 (ProQuest)  An incident occurred in 1876 to interrput the quiet monotony of this Lesbian love. "Joe" and her assumed wife made a visit to a neighboring village.

NOTE: It may be that this citation should be put in square brackets in the OED.

Fred Shapiro

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