Meanings
spousal1
comparative more spousal · superlative most spousal
- of or relating to marriage
- of or relating to a spouse, spouses; to the relationship between spouses
There ſhall vvee conſummate our ſpouſall rites.
c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature [B4], verso1 more example
We identify the degree of complementarity by calibrating #92;rho such that the model matches the reduced-form spousal spillover impact of the 2011 Norwegian pension reform.
2025 October 28, Sigurd M. Galaasen, Herman Kruse, “Spousal spillovers in the labor market: A structural assessment”, in Review of Economic Dynamics, volume 58, →DOI
spousal2
plural spousals
- in pluralobsoleteEspousal; marriage; nuptials.
The Spouſals of Hippolita the Queen;
1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 21 more example
Knowing well to celebrate / With song and hue and star and state, / With tender light and youthful cheer, / The spousals of the new-born year.
1867, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “May-Day”, in May-Day and Other Pieces, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 17
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
spousal · adjective
- Englishspouse
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishspousal
spousal · noun
- Anglo-Norman(e)
- Old Frenchesposaille
- Middle Englishspousaille
- Englishspousal
From Middle English spousaille, from Old French esposaille, espousaille, espousalle, Anglo-Norman (e)spusaille, esposalie, sposale, spousaille.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Anglo-Norman
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Esperanto geedza, geedza
- geedzaof or relating to marriage
- geedzaof or relating to a spouse, spouses
Polish małżeński
- małżeńskiof or relating to marriage
Spanish maridable, conyugal
- maridableof or relating to marriage
- conyugalof or relating to a spouse, spouses
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with spousal
All rhymes →Cite this entry
spousal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal
“spousal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spousal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal.
Source: spousal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.