betrothal

noun be·troth·al \ -ˈtrō-t͟həl , -ˈtrȯ- , -thəl \

Definition of betrothal

1 : the act of betrothing or fact of being betrothed

2 : a mutual promise or contract for a future marriage

See betrothal defined for English-language learners

See betrothal defined for kids

Examples of betrothal in a Sentence

They were both young at the time of their betrothal.
the couple's betrothal lasted four years

Recent Examples of betrothal from the Web

The chemicals makers officially completed their deal Thursday, becoming DowDuPont after first announcing their betrothal in December 2015.

— nathan bomey, USA TODAY, "Dow, DuPont merger finally complete nearly 2 years after deal reached," 1 Sep. 2017
Asked about putting a ring on it by Access Hollywood while promoting his new movie Burnt, the actor was a little bummed that everyone now knew about their betrothal.

— samantha leal, Marie Claire, "Bradley Cooper Wanted His Engagement to Amy Schumer to Be a Secret," 15 Oct. 2015
Whether or not Meghan will land at Heathrow with an big ol’ ring on her finger (or, according to the Star, matching Zulu betrothal bracelets) is unclear.

— elise taylor, Vogue, "Amid Engagement Rumors, Meghan Markle Gets Another Royal Stamp of Approval," 14 Aug. 2017
The dire agreement affects him almost as a betrothal might.

— benjamin kunkel, The New Yorker, "A Neglected South American Masterpiece," 23 Jan. 2017
Given the acrimonious circumstances of their betrothal, that sex was almost certainly not consensual.

— mehera bonner, Marie Claire, "That 'White Princess' Rape Scene Was the Most Feminist Moment TV Has Seen in a Long Time," 17 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'betrothal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of betrothal

see betroth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1683

See Words from the same year

betrothal Synonyms

Synonyms

engagement, espousal;

Antonyms

disengagement;

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

BETROTHAL Defined for English Language Learners

betrothal

noun

Definition of betrothal for English Language Learners

: the act of promising to marry someone
: an agreement that two people will be married in the future

BETROTHAL Defined for Kids

betrothal

noun be·troth·al \ bi-ˈtrō-t͟həl , -ˈtrȯ- \

Definition of betrothal for Students

: an engagement to be married

Learn More about betrothal

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for betrothal Spanish Central: Translation of betrothal Nglish: Translation of betrothal for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about betrothal

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betrothal

Definition of betrothal

Examples of betrothal in a Sentence

Recent Examples of betrothal from the Web

Origin and Etymology of betrothal

betrothal Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Other Sociology Terms

BETROTHAL Defined for English Language Learners

betrothal

Definition of betrothal for English Language Learners

BETROTHAL Defined for Kids

betrothal

Definition of betrothal for Students

Learn More about betrothal

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