wedding

American  

[wed-ing] / ˈwɛd ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or ceremony of marrying; marriage; nuptials.

2. the anniversary of a marriage, or its celebration.

   They invited guests to their silver wedding.

3. the act or an instance of blending or joining, especially opposite or contrasting elements.

   a perfect wedding of conservatism and liberalism.

4. Business Slang. a merger.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a wedding.

   the wedding ceremony; a wedding dress.

wedding British  

/ ˈwɛdɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the act of marrying or the celebration of a marriage

   2. ( as modifier )

      wedding day

2. the anniversary of a marriage (in such combinations as silver wedding or diamond wedding )

3. the combination or blending of two separate elements

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wedding Idioms  

1. see shotgun wedding.

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Related Words

See marriage.

Etymology

Origin of wedding

First recorded before 900; Middle English “matrimony, wedlock, marriage,” Old English weddung “betrothal”; see origin at wed, -ing ¹

Explanation

A wedding is a celebration or ceremony of marriage. Besides being a formal way to mark the union of two people, weddings can be a lot of fun too. The earliest meaning of wedding was simply "the state of being married," but by the early 1400s it meant the ceremony or rite at the very beginning of a marriage. A wedding can be a simple civil ceremony at City Hall or an elaborate event that takes place over several days and involves religious rituals, food and drink, and hundreds of guests. As an adjective, wedding describes anything related to the ceremony, like wedding cakes and wedding dresses.

Example Sentences

Last summer, rumors swirled that Jeff Bezos was toying with buying Vogue, and possibly Condé Nast, for his bride as a wedding present.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

The type that makes you look at your kids and wonder if you’ll be around for their first date, their graduation, their wedding, their children.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

There were times growing up when I wasn’t sure she’d be here for my high school graduation, let alone my college graduation, my wedding or the birth of my two sons.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Kiara Brokenbrough’s 2022 wedding to Joel Brokenbrough drew national headlines for its elegant simplicity on a $500 budget.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

I won’t be there to help Mima make lace for their wedding veils.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• marriage