Literature Desk
27 August 2025, 08:00 AM IST
The word betrothal, refers to a formal agreement or engagement to marry
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Word of the day: BETROTHAL
Pronunciation: be·troth·al UK/bɪˈtrəʊ.ðəl/ US/bɪˈtroʊ.ðəl/
Meaning
Betrothal is the formal act or state of being engaged to be married. It’s an old-fashioned word for an engagement, a promise that two people will marry each other.
Origin
The word “betrothal” originates from the Old English word treowðe, meaning “truth” or “pledge”.
This word combined with the prefix bi- (meaning thoroughly) to form the Middle English betrouthe, and eventually evolved into the modern English betroth, referring to a formal promise to marry.
The noun betrothal came later, first appearing in the 1840s.
Examples from literature
It was only after the betrothal that she’d learnt his name. – The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
“Yes,” said Reznak, “and afterward there is a special cake. A woman’s cake, baked only for betrothals. Men are not allowed to taste it. I am told it is delicious. Magical.” – A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Synonyms
Engagement
Marriage contract
Espousal
Affiance
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