spousal

S1P3O1U1S1A1L1
Canada, UK/ˈspaʊzəl/US/ˈspaʊsəl/

adjective

of or relating to marriage

Less commonScrabble 9

Meanings

spousal1

adjectivespousal (comparative more spousal, superlative most spousal)

comparative more spousal · superlative most spousal

  1. of or relating to marriage
  2. 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], verso
    1 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

nounspousal (plural spousals)

plural spousals

  1. 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 2
    1 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

adjectiveof or relating to a wedding

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

spousal · adjective

  1. Englishspouse
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. Englishspousal

From spouse + -al.

Full word history & related roots →

spousal · noun

  1. Anglo-Norman(e)
  2. Old Frenchesposaille
  3. Middle Englishspousaille
  4. Englishspousal

From Middle English spousaille, from Old French esposaille, espousaille, espousalle, Anglo-Norman (e)spusaille, esposalie, sposale, spousaille.

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
APA

spousal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal

MLA

“spousal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spousal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spousal.

Source: spousal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.