widowmaker
widowmaker Lexical Profile
widowmaker Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A detached or broken branch, treetop, or dead limb caught high in a forest canopy that poses a severe hazard of falling onto someone below.
"The forestry crew cordoned off the trail until the arborists could safely bring down the heavy oak widowmaker."
Something, such as a hazardous piece of machinery, a treacherous route, or a high-risk activity, that is notorious for causing fatal accidents (especially among men).
"Early test pilots regarded the unstable prototype aircraft as a notorious widowmaker."
A severe, often fatal myocardial infarction caused by a complete blockage of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery.
"The cardiologist explained that timely intervention with a stent had saved the patient from a classic widowmaker."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in late 19th-century North American logging camps to describe detached, overhead tree limbs that frequently fell on timber workers below.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.