also: せんぷ
previous wife; late wife
Refers to a man's former wife, either divorced or deceased. The context determines whether it means 'ex-wife' or 'deceased wife'.
彼の前婦は三年前に亡くなった。
His previous wife passed away three years ago.
前婦との間
He has one child with his former wife.
先妻 is a more common synonym for 'former wife', often used in legal or formal contexts.
Standard kanji form for 'previous wife'.
Alternate kanji form with the same meaning; reading せんぷ is less common.
Compound of 前 (previous) or 先 (previous) and 婦 (wife). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji directly convey the meaning.