Word of the day, 27 August 2025: ‘Betrothal’

Word of the day: BETROTHAL

Pronunciation: be·troth·al   UK/bɪˈtrəʊ.ðəl/  US/bɪˈtroʊ.ðəl/

Meaning

Betrothal is the formal act or state of being engaged to be married. It’s an old-fashioned word for an engagement, a promise that two people will marry each other.

Origin

The word "betrothal" originates from the Old English word treowðe, meaning "truth" or "pledge".

This word combined with the prefix bi- (meaning thoroughly) to form the Middle English betrouthe, and eventually evolved into the modern English betroth, referring to a formal promise to marry.

The noun betrothal came later, first appearing in the 1840s.

Examples from literature

• It was only after the betrothal that she’d learnt his name. – The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
• “Yes,” said Reznak, “and afterward there is a special cake. A woman’s cake, baked only for betrothals. Men are not allowed to taste it. I am told it is delicious. Magical.” – A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

Synonyms

• Engagement
• Marriage contract
• Espousal
• Affiance