बिधवा (bidhvaa)

noun A variant spelling of विधवा (vidhvaa, 'widow') -- both forms mean the same thing, and you will see बिधवा (bidhvaa) especially in rural or dialect-influenced speech and writing where व (v) and ब (b) shift into each other.
Sense 1 : widow
noun, feminine
Synonyms: विधवा (vidhvaa, dominant spelling)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This व-to-ब (v to b) shift is a recognizable feature of certain regional and less formal registers of Hindi -- you'll hear similar shifts in other words too, so don't be thrown off when a familiar word shows up with a ब (b) where you expected a व (v).
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't treat this as a different word from विधवा (vidhvaa) -- it is the same noun, just with a common ब/व (b/v) sound-shift found in casual or rural pronunciation and spelling. 2) In writing, विधवा (vidhvaa) is far more standard; use बिधवा (bidhvaa) only if you're deliberately reflecting informal or dialectal speech.
Sample Sentences:
गाँव में एक बिधवा रहती थी। A widow lived in the village.
(gaanv men ek bidhvaa rahtii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बिधवा अपने बच्चों के साथ खेत में काम करती है। The widow works in the fields with her children.
(bidhvaa apne bachchon ke saath khet men kaam kartii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह बिधवा है, फिर भी हिम्मत नहीं हारी। She is a widow, yet she hasn't lost her courage.
(vah bidhvaa hai, phir bhii himmat nahiin haarii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस बिधवा को गाँव वालों ने कोई मदद नहीं दी। The villagers gave that widow no help.
(us bidhvaa ko gaanv vaalon ne koii madad nahiin dii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वह बिधवा होती, तो उसकी जिंदगी और मुश्किल होती। If she were a widow, her life would be even harder.
(agar vah bidhvaa hotii, to uskii jindgii aur mushkil hotii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
बेचारी बिधवा दिन-रात मेहनत करती रहती है। The poor widow keeps working hard day and night.
(bechaarii bidhvaa din-raat mehnat kartii rahtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस बिधवा को कुछ पैसे दे दो, बेचारी की हालत ठीक नहीं है। Give that widow some money, poor thing, her situation isn't good.
(us bidhvaa ko kuchh paise de do, bechaarii kii haalat thiik nahiin hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
बिधवा होना इस समाज में आज भी आसान नहीं है। Being a widow still isn't easy in this society today.
(bidhvaa honaa is samaaj men aaj bhii aasaan nahiin hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद वह बिधवा ही थी, इसलिए सब उससे दूर रहते थे। Maybe she was indeed a widow, that's why everyone kept away from her.
(shaayad vah bidhvaa hii thii, islie sab usse door rahte the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): बिधवा (bidhvaa)
(sg.f.oblique): बिधवा (bidhvaa)
(pl.f.direct): बिधवाएँ (bidhvaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): बिधवाओं (bidhvaaon)