Can the word "relicte" mean a male relative or can it only mean a widow?

[Chikita]

I have come across this word relicte in a family history I am looking up while doing my family tree.  Here is a few sentences from it. "August 6, 1613 at Newton Abbott, Devon, the inventory of the estate of a Christopher Avery was exhibited. It was dated July 26, 1613 and made mention of "Too pare of loums and certayne Implements to his trade belongeing." Thus we know that the testator was a weaver. His "relicte", Johann Avery, was made administrator of the estate."

[youngtug]

Johann was probably his wife, unless you have another contender.

[KGarrad]

From Oxford Living Dictionaries:
2   archaic A widow.

Origin: Late Middle English (in relict (sense 2)): from Old French relicte ‘(woman) left behind’, from late Latin relicta, from the verb relinquere ‘leave behind’.

[ShaunJ]

In this sense it can only mean widow.

There is some discussion on an earlier thread about "relict" also potentially applying to a widower

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=546274.0

[youngtug]

I think the OP thinks that Johann is a man.

[BumbleB]

Welcome to Rootschat, Chikita 

This might help - Johann can be either John or Joan 

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~oel/givennames2.html

[LizzieW]

My 9 x g.grandmother was called Johanna, but known as Joan (we have copies of legal documents dated 1601 relating to her and this is how she is shown), so I guess Johann was also female it's just the spelling that was a bit dodgy in the middle ages.

[Skoosh]

Scotland = a widow!

Skoosh.