widower; divorced man not remarried
Refers to a man who has lost his spouse through death or divorce and has not remarried. Often used in the compound 男やもめ (おとこやもめ) for clarity. The female counterpart is 寡婦 (かふ) or 未亡人 (みぼうじん).
See also: 男やもめ (おとこやもめ) · 寡婦 (かふ)
He became a widower at a young age.
I've gotten used to living as a widower.
鰥 refers to a widower (a man who has lost his wife), the male counterpart to 寡婦, which refers to a widow.
Rare single-kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
Rare two-kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
The origin is uncertain. The word やもめ is a native Japanese term, and the kanji 鰥 is a Chinese character meaning 'widower' that was later applied to this reading.