Pronunciation: [ˌɑːt͡ʃwˈa͡ɪf] (IPA) 
The word "Archwife" is spelled with an "r" in the middle, despite the fact that it is pronounced like "Arkwife." This is because the "r" is separated from the following "k" by an invisible syllable boundary, known as a juncture. In IPA phonetic transcription, this would be represented as /ˈɑːrtʃwaɪf/, with the symbol "ˈ" indicating that the stress is on the first syllable and the "tʃ" representing the "ch" sound in "church".
The word archwife is derived from the Old English elements arce meaning a residence and wif meaning woman. In Old English, arce originally referred to a fortified building or a castle, and wif denoted a female person. Over time, the term archwife emerged, describing a woman who is the head of a household or a wife with authority and control in terms of managing a household. However, it is important to note that the usage of archwife has significantly diminished in modern English, and the more common term today is housewife or homemaker.
