A widow is a woman, as we understand from the meaning of the term in its ordinary sense, whose husband is dead and who has not married again. A man is husband of a woman only as long as there is no snapping of matrimonial relations by a divorce a vinculo or dissolution of marriage or death.

In the case of Smt. Rambai Vs. Ramesh Kumar reported at AIR 1996 M.P. 144 cited before me by learned Counsel for the appellants, the meaning assigned to the word 'widow' in 'Words and Phrases” Permanent Edition, Vol.45 page 141 has been approved by the learned Single Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court. The learned Judge has held that, “Where husband and wife are divorced a vinculo, the wife after the husband's death is not his 'widow' ....” The relevant observations of the learned Judge are to be found in paragraph 12 and same are reproduced thus; “.......In 'Words and Phrases” Permanent Edition, Vol.45 page 141 under the heading 'divorced wife', the word 'widow' means a woman who has lost her husband by death and has no application to a divorced woman. Where husband and wife are divorced a vinculo, the wife after the husband's death is not his 'widow' and entitled to dower..”