wittol

English

Alternative forms

• wittold

Etymology

From Middle English witewold; likely a blend of witen (“to know”) + cockewold (“cuckold”), equivalent to wit +‎ cuckold.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪtəl/
• Rhymes: -ɪtəl
• Homophone: whittle

Noun

wittol (plural wittols)

1. (archaic) A man who knows and tolerates his wife's infidelity with another man or men; a mari complaisant.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:

     To see […] a wittol wink at his wife's honesty, and too perspicuous in all other affairs […]

   • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 13”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

     So the Ifrit cried at her, "Thou whorest and makest me a wittol with thine eyes;" and struck her so that her head went flying.

   • 1960, John Barth, The Sot-Weed Factor:

     God help the husband that obliges his wife's least whim: he'll be a wittol ere he's two years wed!

2. (UK, dialect, obsolete) A bird, the wheatear.

Translations

man who knows and tolerates his wife’s infidelity

• Catalan: marit còmode m, cabró (ca) m
• Italian: cornuto contento m, becco (it) m

See also

• cuckold
• cuckquean
• mari complaisant
• wittoldry

Anagrams

• Titlow