spouse

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English

Etymology

From Middle English spous, spouse, from Anglo-Norman espus m, espuse f and Old French espos m, espose f and by aphesis from Latin spōnsus m (“bridegroom”), spōnsa f (“bride”), from spondeō (“I vow, pledge”), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-. Displaced native Old English ġemaca.

Related to espouse and sponsor.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spaʊ̯s/, /spaʊ̯z/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aʊs, -aʊz
  • Hyphenation: spouse

Noun

spouse (plural spouses)

  1. A person in a marriage or marital relationship.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:spouse
    Hyponyms: husband, wife
    People should treat their spouses with respect.

Derived terms

Translations

husband — see husband
wife — see wife

Verb

spouse (third-person singular simple present spouses, present participle spousing, simple past and past participle spoused)

  1. (dated) To wed; to espouse.
    • 1819, John Keats, Otho the Great, act III, scene II, verses 212-214:
      Do you stand possess’d
      Of any proof against the honourableness
      Of Lady Auranthe, our new-spoused daughter?

Translations

to get married to — see espouse

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