spousal

spousal

English

Etymology

From spouse +‎ -al

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈspaʊzəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈspaʊzəl/, /ˈspaʊsəl/

Adjective

spousal (comparative more spousal, superlative most spousal)

1. of or relating to marriage
2. of or relating to a spouse, spouses; to the relationship between spouses
   • 1592: William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus

     There we shall consummate our spousal rites.

Derived terms

• spousal abuse
• spousal support

Translations

of or relating to marriage

Esperanto: geedza Polish: małżeński (pl)

Volapük: matik (vo)

of or relating to a spouse, spouses

Esperanto: geedza Ido: spozala (io)

Volapük: (♂♀) matanik, (♂) himatanik, (♀) jimatanik

Noun

spousal (plural spousals)

1. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural) marriage; nuptials; espousal
   • Dryden

     The spousals of Hippolita.

   • Chaucer

     Boweth your head under that blissful yoke […] Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.

   • Emerson

     The spousals of the newborn year.

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for spousal in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)