A formal promise or agreement to marry someone, or the engagement period before a wedding.
From Old English 'betrothian' (to pledge), combining 'be-' (thoroughly) and 'troth' (faith, pledge), from Old English 'treow' (trust). The noun form developed to describe the state of being pledged to marry.
The word 'troth' in 'betrothal' is the same as in the wedding phrase 'plight one's troth,' meaning to pledge one's faith—it's an ancient legal concept where words alone created a binding contract.
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