époux French · revision 16995

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis|origins=la spondeo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.pu/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''époux''' ''m'' (invariable, feminine épouse)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|spus]], [[m|fro|espus]] (about 1050), [[m|fro|espos]] (about 1155) and ''espous'' (13th century); ''espoux'' in 1487 and ''époux'' in 1671.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ The feminine was ''spuse'' (about 1050), then ''espouse'' (12th century) and ''épouse''.^(GLLF 1989)^(TLFi) The ⟨x⟩ of the masculine is a spelling for the old ending ''-us'', which explains the feminine in ''-use''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|fro|espus]], [[inh|la|spōnsus|t=betrothed man, bridegroom]], the past participle of [[m|la|spondeō|t=to promise solemnly]], used as a noun; the feminine is from [[m|la|spōnsa]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|12, 211b) Its sound development followed the verb [[épouser]]: the regular outcome of the Latin word would have been ⟨espeus⟩.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) In Latin it meant “promised, engaged”, a sense now taken by [[fiancé]].^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré relates the Latin verb to [[grc|σπένδω|tr=spéndō|t=to pour a libation]], since solemn promises were made with libations.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ Cognate with [[it|sposo]], [[pro|espos]], [[es|esposo]] and [[pt|esposo]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint Alexis'' (about 1050) has ''spus'', ''espus'', and the feminine ''spuse'';^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) the Grand Robert and the GLLF date its use for Christ as the bridegroom to that first record.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its use in the language of mystics comes from the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The feminine ''espose'' meant the bride of Christ about 1155 (Wace), and ''l'Épouse de Jésus-Christ'' was the Church in Richelet (1680).^(GLLF 1989) In 12th-century texts the Church is ''espuse Deu'', “God's spouse”.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ 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.^(GLLF 1989) Today it is a legal or literary word, ''mari'' and ''femme'' being the everyday terms.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''Spus'', ''espus'' and ''spuse'' in the ''Vie de saint Alexis''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1155 – ''Espos'', ''espose'' “bride of Christ”, in Wace.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1487 – The spelling ''espoux''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 2nd half of the 17th century – ''Les époux'' “the married couple”.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1671 – The spelling ''époux'' (Pomey).^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1680 – ''L'Épouse de Jésus-Christ'' “the Church”, in Richelet.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(law, literary)'' A [[m|en|spouse]]; the masculine ''époux'' a [[m|en|husband]], the feminine ''épouse'' a [[m|en|wife]]: ''prendre pour époux''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Les époux'': husband and wife, the married couple.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(religion)'' Christ, as bridegroom of the Church or the soul.^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[épouse]]

+ * [[épouser]]

+ * [[fiancé]]

+ * [[la|sponsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}