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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.
Examples of bridal in a Sentence
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Today, this custom has evolved into subtler hints of the color, quietly hidden in the bridal look or sprinkled throughout the events of the day.
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Katie Abel, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
Starting on May 12, if a dress is purchased in store or online for brides, mother-of-the-brides, or bridesmaids, Cook said the bridal retailer will allow the dress to be held right before the event and will guarantee that the dress fits properly.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bridal
Cite this Entry
“Bridal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bridal. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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