A.widow, “χῆραι γυναῖκες” Il.2.289; “μήτηρ χ.” 22.499; “μὴ παῖδ᾽ ὀρφανικὸν θήῃς χ. τε γυναῖκα” 6.432; “λείπειν τινὰ χ. ἐν μεγάροισιν” 22.484, 24.725, cf. S.Aj.653, E.Andr.348, Tr.380; “χήρας δὲ γυναῖκας ἐποίησαν” Lys.2.71; as a name of Hera, Paus.8.22.2 (χῆραι: αἱ μὴ ἔχουσαι ἄνδρας, Hsch.; “ἡ μονωθεῖσα ἀπ᾽ ἀνδρὸς χ.” Poll.3.47).
2. Com., of a dish, widowed, i.e. without sauce, Sotad.Com.1.26.
3. later masc. χῆρος , widower, Arist.HA612b34 (of birds), Call.Epigr. 17, Gramm. post Hdn.Epim.286.
II. χῆρος , α, ον, Adj, metaph., bereaved, “χῆρα μέλαθρα” E.Alc.862 (anap.); “μάνδραι” Call.Cer.106; “βίος” Epigr.Gr.406.13 (Iconium); “εὐνή” IG14.1389 i 12; “δόμος” Call.Epigr. 22; δρυμοὶ χ. bereft of men, AP9.84 (Antiphan.): c. gen., Il.6.408; “φάρσος . . στελεοῦ χῆρον ἐλαϊνέου” AP6.297 (Phanias), cf. Vett.Val. 117.6; “χήρους γυναικῶν οἰκεῖν” Str.7.3.4; “τὰ χῆρα φρονήσεως” Ph.1.601; “ναῦς ὕδατος χ.” Ael.NA13.28. (Cf. χωρίς, χατίζω, Skt. jáhāti 'abandon, renounce'.)