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nuptial

[nuhp-shuh l, -chuh l]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony: the nuptial day; nuptial vows.
  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of mating or the mating season of animals: nuptial behavior.
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noun
  1. Usually nuptials. a wedding or marriage.
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Origin of nuptial

1480–90; (Middle French) < Latin nuptiālis, equivalent to nupti(ae) marriage, wedding, derivative of nubēre to marry (of a woman); cf. nubile
Related formsnup·tial·ly, adverbqua·si-nup·tial, adjective

Synonym study

3. See marriage.

Pronunciation note

The pronunciations [nuhp-choo-uh l] /ˈnʌp tʃu əl/ and [nuhp-shoo-uh l] /ˈnʌp ʃu əl/, by analogy with such words as mutual and actual, are not considered standard.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

spousalbridalconjugalconnubialmaritalmarriedmatrimonialweddedweddingespousal

Examples from the Web for nuptial

Historical Examples

  • Other nuptial carriages are said to have gone the same road, before and since.

    Little Dorrit

    Charles Dickens

  • The choice of the bride and the nuptial ceremonies are most rudimentary.

  • Extravagance is to be regarded as vulgarity and ignorance of nuptial proprieties.

    Laws

    Plato

  • And Gervasio came down to pronounce the nuptial blessing over us.

    The Strolling Saint

    Raphael Sabatini

  • Benedick, in astonishment at what he heard, said, "This looks not like a nuptial."

    Tales from Shakespeare

    Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb

British Dictionary definitions for nuptial

nuptial

adjective
  1. relating to marriage; conjugalnuptial vows
  2. zoology of or relating to matingthe nuptial flight of a queen bee
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Derived Formsnuptially, adverb

Word Origin

C15: from Latin nuptiālis, from nuptiae marriage, from nubere to marry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nuptial

adj.

late 15c., from Middle French nuptial, or directly from Latin nuptialis "pertaining to marriage," from nuptiae "wedding," from nupta, fem. past participle of nubere "to marry, wed, take as a husband," related to Greek nymphe "bride," from PIE *sneubh- "to marry, wed" (cf. Old Church Slavonic snubiti "to love, woo," Czech snoubiti "to seek in marriage," Slovak zasnubit "to betroth"). Related: Nuptially.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper