Widowhood, n.
1. The state of being a widow; the time during which a woman is widow; also, rarely, the state of being a widower. Johnson clung to her memory during a widowhood of more than thirty years. Leslie Stephen.
2. Estate settled on a widow. [Obs.] "I 'll assure her of her widowhood . . . in all my lands." Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald lists widowhood only as an antonym, under marriage.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.
Synonyms
none given