époux

Pronunciation

• IPA: /e.pu/^[1]

Forms

époux m (invariable, feminine épouse)^[1] Old French spus, espus (about 1050), espos (about 1155) and espous (13th century); espoux in 1487 and époux in 1671.^[2][3] The feminine was spuse (about 1050), then espouse (12th century) and épouse.^[2][4] The ⟨x⟩ of the masculine is a spelling for the old ending -us, which explains the feminine in -use.^[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French espus, inherited from Latin spōnsus (“betrothed man, bridegroom”), the past participle of spondeō (“to promise solemnly”), used as a noun; the feminine is from spōnsa.^[4][3][2][5] Its sound development followed the verb épouser: the regular outcome of the Latin word would have been ⟨espeus⟩.^[4][6][2] In Latin it meant “promised, engaged”, a sense now taken by fiancé.^[1][6] Littré relates the Latin verb to Ancient Greek σπένδω (spéndō, “to pour a libation”), since solemn promises were made with libations.^[7]

Cognate with Italian sposo, Old Occitan espos, Spanish esposo and Portuguese esposo.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) has spus, espus, and the feminine spuse;^[4][2] the Grand Robert and the GLLF date its use for Christ as the bridegroom to that first record.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Its use in the language of mystics comes from the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25.^[6] The feminine espose meant the bride of Christ about 1155 (Wace), and l'Épouse de Jésus-Christ was the Church in Richelet (1680).^[2] In 12th-century texts the Church is espuse Deu, “God's spouse”.^[7]

In ordinary use it means a married person; the plural les époux, “husband and wife”, is recorded from the second half of the 17th century.^[2] Today it is a legal or literary word, mari and femme being the everyday terms.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1050 – Spus, espus and spuse in the Vie de saint Alexis.^[4]
• c. 1155 – Espos, espose “bride of Christ”, in Wace.^[2]
• 1487 – The spelling espoux.^[2][3]
• 2nd half of the 17th century – Les époux “the married couple”.^[2]
• 1671 – The spelling époux (Pomey).^[2]
• 1680 – L'Épouse de Jésus-Christ “the Church”, in Richelet.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law, literary) A spouse; the masculine époux a husband, the feminine épouse a wife: prendre pour époux.^[8][1]
2. Les époux: husband and wife, the married couple.^[8][2]
3. (religion) Christ, as bridegroom of the Church or the soul.^[2][6]

Related words

• épouse
• épouser
• fiancé
• Latin sponsus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 12, 211b
6. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert