Can an unwed person who loses their spouse be called a widow?

I am dating a girl who was engaged, but her fiance died in the war. I noticed on one of her social network profiles she previously had her self listed as a widow before we began dating. I was just curious if people who lost their fiances could technically be considered widows? If any one knows anything about this please let me know. All the info I've gotten from the net has the exact same definitions.Can an unwed person who loses their spouse be called a widow?
She can't be a widow if she was never married.Can an unwed person who loses their spouse be called a widow?
While I understand her sentiment, and her feeling like a widow, by the very definition, she is NOT a widow. A widow is a woman whose husband dies. If she's not married, she's not a widow. Now, if she was a common-law spouse (according to the state she lives in), then she would be a widow by definition.
She is not a widow; she does not receive widow's benefits; she is not legally recognized as ever having been the deceased's spouse. (People have backed out of marriages while standing at the altar, so until the ceremony is completed, they are not married.)
Legally no. A widow is someone who lost a legally married spouse.
You have to be a wife before you can be a widow.
Hmmmm This is one of those things that make you go hmmm.
not technically, no... but emotionally, yes.
No, she is technically wrong. You are not a widow if you were never married.
I think you can be a widow. Being engaged means you have made a promise to marry that person, so yes, I would say she's a widow. I am engaged to my man and we call each other spouse.