spouse

Pronunciation: /spaʊ̯s/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a person's partner in marriage

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 (“to vow, pledge”), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-. Displaced native Old English ġemaca. Related to espouse and sponsor.

In classic literature

Synonyms

partner, married person, mate, better half

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
relative, domestic partner
Narrower (hyponyms)
newlywed, monogamist, husband, polygamist, helpmate, bigamist

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