spouse

[ noun spous, spouz; verb spouz, spous ]

noun

1. either member of a married pair in relation to the other; one's husband or wife.

verb (used with object)

, spoused, spous·ing.

1. Obsolete. to join, give, or take in marriage.

spouse

noun

1. a person's partner in marriage spousal

verb

1. obsolete.
   tr to marry

Other Words From

• spousehood noun
• spouseless adjective
• un·spoused adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spouse¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the noun) Middle English, from Old French spous (masculine), spouse (feminine), shortened from espous, espouse, from Latin spōnsus, spōnsa, literally, “pledged (man, woman),” noun uses of past participle of spondēre “to pledge”; (for the verb) Middle English spousen, from Old French esp(o)user; espouse

Word History and Origins

Origin of spouse¹

C12: from Old French spus (masculine), spuse (feminine), from Latin sponsus, sponsa betrothed man or woman, from spondēre to promise solemnly

Example Sentences

The officer reported buying extra home security and instructing their spouse to take alternate routes home to avoid being followed.

From Los Angeles Times

Married couples typically have property ownership transferred to the surviving spouse after the other one’s death.

From Salon

He also signed off a business class flight from New Zealand - worth more than £18,159 - for the director of corporate and international affairs and her spouse.

From BBC

There's no time like the present to kick your Trump-voting spouse to the curb.

From Salon

The vice president, per the text, allegedly "supports Israel 100%" and would be joined in the White House by "her husband and top advisor, Doug Emhoff . . . Who would be the 1st Jewish presidential spouse ever!"

From Salon

Related Words

• companion
• domestic partner
• husband
• mate
• partner
• wife