spouse

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman espus, espuse and Old French espos, espose and by aphesis from Latin spōnsus (“bridegroom”), spōnsa (“bride”), from spondeō (“I vow, pledge”), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-.

Cognate to espouse, sponsor.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

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• IPA^(key): /spaʊs/
• Rhymes: -aʊs

Noun

spouse (plural spouses)

1. A person in a marriage or marital relationship.

   People should treat their spouses with respect.

   • Edmund Spenser

     At last such grace I found, and means I wrought, / That I that lady to my spouse had won.

Verb

spouse (third-person singular simple present spouses, present participle spousing, simple past and past participle spoused)

1. (dated) To wed; to espouse.
   • 1819, John Keats, Otho the Great, Act III, Scene II, verses 212-214

     Do you stand possess’d

     Of any proof against the honourableness

     Of Lady Auranthe, our new-spoused daughter?

Anagrams

• opuses