Trophy wife

Trophy wife is a pejorative term, usually applied to a physically attractive younger woman married to a man who has obtained a high level of success, be it physical, financial, or otherwise. Usually, the Trophy Wife is not the first wife of the man and has had little to do with the achievement of that success.

The term is often used to imply that the man's intent is to exhibit his wealth and success, the social phenomenon known as conspicuous consumption. The term "gold digger" is used to describe a woman who intentionally seeks this arrangement.

The marriage of former Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith to oil magnate J. Howard Marshall is considered an extreme example, as at the time of their marriage: he was 89 years old and she was 26.

It is uncertain when the term "trophy wife" was first recorded; some sources say 1984, while others say 1989. The New York Times claims that the latter date (1989) is correct, and says that although the term often has a pejorative connotation, it originally meant a second or third wife who was younger, beautiful, and also accomplished in her own right.