Dictionary.com

prenuptial agreement

Save This Word!

noun
Law. a contract between two people who are about to marry regarding their respective property and support rights upon termination of the marriage by divorce or death, and sometimes regarding property rights during the marriage.
QUIZ
ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ
There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!
Question 1 of 7
True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.
Also called antenuptial agreement.

Words nearby prenuptial agreement

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT

What is aĀ prenuptial agreement?

A prenuptial agreement is 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.

The word prenuptial means before marriage. Prenuptial agreements are far more commonly referred to with the informal term prenup.

Every prenuptial agreement is different based on what the couple wants it to include. Most prenups cover things like which member of the couple is entitled to certain portions of property, inheritance, and savings, or which member is responsible for certain things, such as debt.

The popular opinion about prenuptial agreements has traditionally been quite negative—many people view them as pessimistic and associate their use with rich celebrities who marry people who aren’t as rich. Plus, no one who’s about to get married likes to admit that there’s a possibility that the marriage might not work out. However, many people consider it good sense to enter into a prenup, and many legal advisors recommend them, especially since deciding how to split up assets during a divorce can be extremely strained.

Example: Everyone thought it was strange that we had a prenuptial agreement, but life is unpredictable.

Where doesĀ prenuptial agreement come from?

The word prenuptial is composed of the prefix pre, meaning ā€œbefore,ā€ and the word nuptial, meaning ā€œof or relating to marriage.ā€

The first records of the term prenuptial agreement come from the late 1800s.

The word prenup has been used as a shortened form of prenuptial agreement since at least the 1980s.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for prenuptial agreement?

What are some words that share a root or word element with prenuptial agreement?Ā 

What are some words that often get used in discussing prenuptial agreement?

How isĀ prenuptial agreement used in real life?

Prenuptial agreements are much more commonly called prenups. The popular opinion about prenups has traditionally been negative, but many people view signing a prenup as good sense.

 

 

Try usingĀ prenuptial agreement!

Which of the following things might be included in a prenuptial agreement?

A. division of assets
B. assignment of rights to physical property
C. assignment of responsibility for debt
D. all of the above

How to use prenuptial agreement in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prenuptial agreement

prenuptial agreement

noun
a contract made between a man and woman before they marry, agreeing on the distribution of their assets in the event of divorce
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK