prenuptial

American  

[pree-nuhp-shuhl, ‑chuhl] / priˈnʌp ʃəl, ‑tʃəl /

adjective

1. before marriage.

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prenuptial British  

/ -tʃəl, priːˈnʌpʃəl /

adjective

1. occurring or existing before marriage

   a prenuptial agreement

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Pronunciation

See nuptial.

Usage

What does prenuptial mean? Prenuptial means before marriage. Prenuptial is most commonly used in the term prenuptial agreement, which refers to a legal contract entered into by a couple before marriage that specifies things like the division of their finances and assets, especially in case the marriage ends, such as through divorce. It is commonly called a prenup for short. Example: Everyone thought it was strange that we had a prenuptial agreement, but life is unpredictable.

Etymology

Origin of prenuptial

First recorded in 1865–70; pre- + nuptial

Explanation

Anything that's prenuptial happens before two people get married. A common prenuptial superstition is that a couple shouldn't see each other on the day of their wedding until they're actually walking down the aisle. You're most likely to find this adjective in the legal term "prenuptial agreement," or prenup for short. This friendly-sounding phrase describes a legal contract signed by two people before their marriage, in which they agree to certain terms if they eventually get divorced. A prenuptial agreement might include details of dividing money or property, for example. Pre- means "before," and nuptial comes from the Latin nuptiae, "wedding."

Example Sentences

About one in five adults who are either married or engaged had a prenuptial agreement, according to a 2023 survey by Harris Poll.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

In addition to the wedding certificate, James signed a prenuptial agreement that Burden’s mother insisted upon.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

That’s on top of an in-house team of tax-and-estate lawyers, family governance specialists and even a marriage adviser who advises on prenuptial agreements and divorces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

If the right to live in the home in question did originate from a prenuptial agreement rather than a life-estate deed, the wording of the prenup would be critical.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

The relations both prenuptial and postnuptial between the sexes are of the strictest kind.

From The Manóbos of Mindanáo Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume XXIII, First Memoir by Garvan, John M.