"Trophy" wife does NOT mean "not intelligent".
So for example one wouldn't have called Hillary Clinton a "trophy wife" because although she is quite accomplished she is not really of the grade of looks that would be "trophy" (in the common usage).
Ok so now I go and seek the definition on the internet to see what it says. And it says this:
"a young, attractive wife regarded as a status symbol for an older man."
That said of course you are right that "trophy wife" does not mean "not intelligent" but that is most likely the assumption that the majority of people are making.
In particular, how smart are such people?
Is it an incorrect assumption if people are simply using what they have learned from others over time as far as what the word appears to mean?
In other words if you think that a "PC" is an IBM PC even though a Mac is a "PC" isn't that ok?
I say the ubiquitous definition is such that there is very little you will be able to do to change that.
What we are talking about is defacto vs. dejure. Dejure you are right. Defacto though seems to indicate "such people" are right.
Yeah, I suppose that would be the metric then!
It's fantastic to have somebody, everyday, who constantly challenges me and forces me to exercise my mind.
I would definitely have had trouble with a "trophy" wife...and actually I find that I get along better with men who have highly intelligent wives better than men who have hot trophy wives.