The term spouse is applied to married people until their marriage is consummated The new marriage licenses - which add the term spouse - will be distributed to town and city clerk offices across the state in advance of the same-sex marriage law taking effect July 24.
/ noun spaʊs, spaʊz; verb spaʊz, spaʊs /
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noun
either member of a married pair in relation to the other; one's husband or wife.
verb (used with object),spoused,spous·ing.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
woman, wife, companion, bride, roommate, mate, partner, husband, man, helpmate, groom
Nearby words
![Hindi name meanings Hindi name meanings](http://apk-dl.com/detail/screenshot/Elkb7c9XH3weeDC4Gcnw9ysdsp8brS4TH6gmVIiNC64lj_bH1Co2L29X9n3cy--1pyU=h500.png)
- spotter,
- spottie,
- spotty,
- spousal,
- spousally,
- spout,
- spout cup,
- spouted,
- spouting,
Origin of spouse
1150–1200; (noun) Middle English< Old Frenchspous (masculine), spouse (feminine) (aphetic for espous, espouse) < Latinspōnsus,spōnsa literally, pledged (man, woman) (noun uses of past participle of spondēre to pledge), equivalent to spond- verb stem + -tus, -ta past participle suffix; (v.) Middle Englishspousen< Old Frenchesp(o)user; cf. espouse
Related formsspouse·hood, nounspouse·less, adjectiveun·spoused, adjective
Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for spouse
- Otherwise, he decides whether or not to perform a wedding based on how comfortable he feels with the spouse on the outside.Saying Yes to the Dress—Behind Bars|Caitlin Dickson|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
- Well, that is very beneficial to the spouse who has a new job in LA, but detrimental to the one who left a job in New York.Is Alimony Anti-Feminist?|Keli Goff|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
- One can only imagine the reaction had a GOP operative made the exact same slur against the spouse of a Democratic candidate.In Kentucky, Elaine Chao Endures Racist Attacks From Liberals|Ron Christie|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
- My present—and it is to be hoped permanent—wife is not off pursing a spouse more to her liking.What Did TJ Mean By “Pursuit of Happiness,” Anyway?|P. J. O’Rourke|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
- Less surprising perhaps that the death of a spouse or close family member also rank so highly.Psychologists View Both Divorce and Marriage as Major Life Stresses|Emma Woolf|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
- Mr. Hartland was every thing which a reasonable woman could desire in a spouse, and accordingly his suit was not rejected.Tales of My Time, Vol. 1 (of 3)|William Pitt Scargill
- What train of curses that base brood pursues, When the young nephew weds old uncle's spouse.
- To this summons a most horrible 'maid' responded, and to her were consigned Georgina and her spouse.
- Conviction prior to marriage by either party of felony or infamous crime, unknown to the other spouse.Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World|Hyacinthe Ringrose
- Despite her spouse's hints, Blossom never lost faith in Pershing.
British Dictionary definitions forspouse
noun (spaʊs, spaʊz)
a person's partner in marriageRelated adjective: spousal
verb (spaʊz, spaʊs)
Word Origin for spouse
![Spouse Spouse](/uploads/1/2/5/2/125232834/556061593.jpg)
C12: from Old French spus (masculine), spuse (feminine), from Latin sponsus, sponsa betrothed man or woman, from spondēre to promise solemnly
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History forspouse
n.c.1200, 'a married woman in relation to her husband' (also of men), from Old French spus (fem. spuse), from Latin sponsus 'bridegroom' (fem. sponsa 'bride'), from masc. and fem. past participle of spondere 'to bind oneself, promise solemnly,' from PIE *spend- 'to make an offering, perform a rite' (see spondee). Spouse-breach (early 13c.) was an old name for 'adultery.'
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper