veuve

Veuve is a French noun meaning widow; it is the feminine form of veuf. It denotes a woman whose husband has died. The plural form is veuves. In English usage, veuve appears mainly in translations or as part of proper names rather than as a common English noun.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is a renowned champagne house commonly shortened to Veuve Clicquot. It was founded in 1772 in Reims by Philippe Clicquot. After his death, his widow Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin took control in 1805 and became known as Veuve Clicquot. Under her leadership, the house developed production methods and expanded internationally, notably advancing the riddling process to clarify the wine and building the brand’s global reputation. The Yellow Label is its best-known cuvée.

Beyond the brand name, veuve is used in French-language literature and cinema to denote a widow, and appears in various titles and expressions. In English-language contexts, the term is most often encountered when referring to Veuve Clicquot or in translations of French texts.