Meaning of trophy wife | Babel Free

Definitions

A wife, usually young and attractive, regarded as a status symbol for her husband, usually older and affluent.

derogatory, idiomatic, informal

Equivalents

Examples

“[…] while Mrs. Scott-Baxter, his fourth (and trophy) wife, blonde and young and bored, glowered at the Baxter spawn like⟳ a mother mink in a mink farm, just waiting for a jet to strafe the facility, affording her an excuse⟳ to feign terror and eat⟳ her young.”

“But don't expect⟳ this one to break⟳ up. Arnold [Schwarzenegger] got his trophy wife—a real-life Kennedy, his entreé to the top social echelons in the country—and he's not about to let⟳ her go.”

“"Women considered trophy wives are accomplished and ambitious," she reported, "in both their careers and their lives. […] On what was trophy wife bottomed, as they say⟳ at the Supreme Court?”

“‘She's with her nanny.’ ‘Oh yeah, I forgot. You're a proper trophy wife now. Staff and everything. Well…’ She produced a bottle of cava from a plastic bag. ‘With no child to keep⟳ up appearances for, let's get⟳ ourselves in the mood.’”

“She was David's fourth wife. Twenty-four years his junior, they both knew why they were together. David was filthy rich, and Belinda was a trophy wife. In fact, this was her third time around in this career: Being a trophy wife.”

CEFR level