The primary meaning of widow is that of a woman whose husband has died and who has not remarried. Widower is the male counterpart of widow. A "grass widow" is separated or divorced or lives apart from her husband. (The expression comes from the meaning of "at grass," that is,"roaming loose.") A "golf widow" ("tennis widow," "fishing widow") is a woman whose husband leaves her while he goes to play his favorite game."Widow woman" is an illiteracy.
Dictionary of problem words and expressions. Harry Shaw. 1975.