The Collaborative International Dictionary
Archwife
Archwife \Arch`wife"\, n. [Pref. arch- + wife.]
A big, masculine wife. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
Wiktionary
archwife
n. (context obsolete English) A big, masculine wife.
Usage examples of "archwife".
She ranted like an archwife, and scolded poor Mrs Astley into such a pucker that she fell into strong convulsions, and miscarried.
Mr Philip, in this very room, but I was here, you see - just downstairs after getting that archwife into her bed, and seeing her drop off to sleep!
It was never my intention, until that archwife returned to Bath to thrust a spoke in my wheel!