engagement ring

American  

noun

1. a ring, often a diamond, given by a man to his fiancée at the time of their engagement as a token of their betrothal.

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engagement ring British  

noun

1. a ring given by a man to a woman as a token of their betrothal

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Etymology

Origin of engagement ring

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

“He was like a knight in shining armor,” says Megan Snyders, 33, a British children’s book illustrator who watched Manguillier search for her friend Olivia Tysoe’s engagement ring.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Natalie's mother Bernadette told Belfast Crown Court that McCullagh had showed her an engagement ring after her death.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

He then asked a member of staff to order an engagement ring, which arrived from Amazon within two days.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

A week after I purchased the insurance, my fiancée misplaced her engagement ring.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

She got her hands free, took off her engagement ring with its tiny diamond, and handed it down to Mary.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck