Espousage

/ɪˈspaʊzɪdʒ/ noun

Definition

The act of marrying or the condition of being married; a marriage ceremony or the state of being espoused.

Etymology

From Old French esposage, derived from espouser meaning 'to marry.' The -age suffix creates a noun form indicating an action or condition, becoming archaic by the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Espousage is an adorably old word for getting married that disappeared from English—people stopped using it around the 1700s and switched to simpler words like 'marriage' and 'wedding,' showing how languages trim their vocabulary.

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