spouse

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word spouse. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word spouse, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say spouse in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word spouse you have here. The definition of the word spouse will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofspouse, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

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

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

Anagrams