nuptial

[nuhp-shuh l, -chuh l]

See more synonyms for nuptial on Thesaurus.com

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.

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 for nuptial

spousal, bridal, conjugal, connubial, marital, married, matrimonial, wedded, wedding, espousal

Examples from the Web for nuptial

Historical Examples of nuptial

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.
The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ
Nicolas Notovitch
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

relating to marriage; conjugalnuptial vows
zoology of or relating to matingthe nuptial flight of a queen bee

Derived Formsnuptially, adverb

Word Origin for nuptial

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.