nuptial

American  

[nuhp-shuhl, -chuhl] / ˈnʌp ʃəl, -tʃəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony.

   the nuptial day;

   nuptial vows.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of mating or the mating season of animals.

   nuptial behavior.

---

noun

1. Usually nuptials a wedding or marriage.

nuptial British  

/ -tʃəl, ˈnʌpʃəl /

adjective

1. relating to marriage; conjugal

   nuptial vows

2. zoology of or relating to mating

   the nuptial flight of a queen bee

---

Pronunciation

The pronunciations and , by analogy with such words as mutual and actual, are not considered standard.

Related Words

See marriage.

Other Word Forms

• nuptially adverb
• quasi-nuptial adjective

Etymology

Origin of nuptial

First recorded in 1480–90; ( Middle French ) from Latin nuptiālis, equivalent to nupti(ae) “marriage, wedding,” derivative of nūbere “(of a woman) to marry” + -ālis adjective suffix; nubile