: of or relating to a bride or a wedding : nuptial
2
: intended for a newly married couple
a bridal suite
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A secondary meaning of Old English ealu, the ancestor of Modern English ale, was “feast, banquet,” at which the drinking of ale was a prominent activity. There were a number of these feasts and banquets that survived into the 19th century, but the oldest and best-established was the bride-ale, or wedding feast, attested in Old English as brydealu. In Middle English the ale half of the word had lost its stress and was associated with the noun suffix –al (as in funeral) and the adjective suffix (as in parental). By the 18^th^ century, bridal was perceived primarily as an adjective, as it is today.
Although Taylor opted against wearing white, her gown still had a bridal feel.—Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 8 June 2024 Inside, the atelier is showcasing a meticulous couture bridal collection in a museum-style exhibition.—Astrid Kayembe, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
Adjective
Once Jo threw her bridal bouquet, the real party began.—Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024 Brands that teens once heralded as the epitome of trendy and fast fashion—think Abercrombie, Forever 21, and Shein—are now tapping into the $14 billion bridal gown market.—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for bridal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bridal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bridale, from Old English brȳdealu, from brȳd + ealu ale — more at ale
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
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