spouse English · revision 14901

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=la spondeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spaʊs/, /spaʊz/^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|spuse]], [[bor|fro|spus]] (feminine [[m|fro|spuse]]), a variant of [[m|fro|espous]] (modern [[fr|époux]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[la|spōnsus|t=bridegroom]] and [[m|la|spōnsa|t=bride]], the masculine and feminine past participles of [[m|la|spondeō|t=to betroth, promise solemnly]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Collins 2023) from [[ine-pro|*spend-|t=to make an offering, perform a rite]] (see [[sponsor]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A married woman, a wife: probably before 1200 in Barnhart, about 1200 in the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Etymonline gives either partner of a married pair, especially the wife, about 1200.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A husband or bridegroom is also recorded about 1200 in the OED,^(OED 1989) while Barnhart's first example is about 1225, in King Horn.^(Barnhart 1988) From about 1200 the Church or a nun was called the spouse of Christ, and God or Christ the spouse of the Church or the soul.^(OED 1989) The married state, wedlock, is an obsolete sense from about 1250.^(OED 1989) The verb, to marry, is from about 1290,^(OED 1989) and is now obsolete.^(Collins 2023) ''Spouse-breach'' (early 13th century) was an old name for adultery.^(Etymonline) In an old Scots phrase, to spouse one's fortune was to put it out to nurse.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – a wife; a husband.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – spouse of Christ.^(OED 1989)

+ * early 13th century – spouse-breach, adultery.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1250 – wedlock (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1290 – to spouse, marry.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A partner in [[marriage]]; a husband or wife.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(obsolete)'' To marry.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spousal]]

+ * [[spousehood]]

+ * [[spouseless]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[espouse]]

+ * [[sponsor]]

+ * [[respond]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}