nuptial
[ nuhp-shuh l, -chuh l ]
/ ˈnʌp ʃəl, -tʃəl /
adjective
of or relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony: the nuptial day; nuptial vows.
of, relating to, or characteristic of mating or the mating season of animals: nuptial behavior.
noun
Usually nuptials. a wedding or marriage.
Nearby words
nunnery, nunny bag, nuoc mam, nupe, nupercaine, nuptial, nuptial mass, nuptial plumage, nuptials, nuque, nur
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 forms
nup·tial·ly, adverbqua·si-nup·tial, adjectiveSynonym 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. 2019
Examples from the Web for nuptial
British Dictionary definitions for nuptial
nuptial
/ (ˈnʌpʃəl, -tʃəl) /
adjective
relating to marriage; conjugalnuptial vows
zoology of or relating to matingthe nuptial flight of a queen bee
Derived Forms
nuptially, adverbWord Origin for nuptial
C15: from Latin nuptiālis, from nuptiae marriage, from nubere to marry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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