marriageable

American  

[mar-i-juh-buhl] / ˈmær ɪ dʒə bəl /

adjective

1. suitable or attractive for marriage.

   The handsome and successful young man was considered eminently marriageable.

2. of an age suitable for marriage.

   a marriageable daughter.

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marriageable British  

/ ˈmærɪdʒəbəl /

adjective

1. (esp of women) suitable for marriage, usually with reference to age

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Other Word Forms

• marriageability noun
• marriageableness noun
• nonmarriageability noun
• nonmarriageable adjective
• unmarriageable adjective

Etymology

Origin of marriageable

First recorded in 1545–55; marriage + -able

Example Sentences

"As a result, the difficulty of being considered marriageable can be a social stigma, indicating they're not capable and deserving of the role, which leads to great pressures and mental strains."

From BBC

In India, the legal marriageable age is 21 for men and 18 for women.

From Seattle Times

As I entered my marriageable years, I was introduced to suitable men from Lima, Peru; Tenerife in the Canary Islands; Paramaribo, Suriname; and Accra, Ghana.

From Los Angeles Times

Back then the team were not keen on taking part in the Olympics - despite having inflicted a first-ever World Championship defeat on the Soviet Union two years earlier - because they were at a 'marriageable age'.

From BBC

"We can learn from Sri Lanka, which increased the marriageable age for girls, or from Bangladesh and Vietnam, which enabled a basket of non-permanent contraceptives to reach women on their doorstep."

From BBC