nuptial

1 of 2

adjective

nup·​tial ˈnəp-shəl How to pronounce nuptial (audio)
-chəl,
nonstandard
-shə-wəl How to pronounce nuptial (audio)
nonstandard
-chə-wəl How to pronounce nuptial (audio)
1
: of or relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony
nuptial vows
nuptial bliss
2
: characteristic of or occurring in the breeding season
nuptial flight

nuptial

2 of 2

noun

: marriage, wedding
usually used in plural
… preparations were instantly commenced for the approaching nuptials.W. H. Prescott

Examples of nuptial in a Sentence

Adjective newlyweds still in a state of nuptial bliss Noun their nuptials will take place at the university chapel
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The earthy orange shade is perfect for autumn and will instantly put you in the fall nuptial spirit. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2024 Khloe Kardashian makes a case for an elevated braid as part of her look for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s baraat (or, a grand nuptial procession that is part of a traditional Indian wedding) thanks to celebrity hair stylist Chris Appleton. Kylee McGuigan, Vogue, 13 July 2024
Noun
But after assessing the situation at their venue and the surrounding area, the couple made the difficult decision to postpone their nuptials until March 2025. Erin Clack, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024 Like many industries, bridal fashion went through a lull during the pandemic, followed by a rush of demand as couples rescheduled their nuptials. Allison Morrow, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nuptial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nuptial.' 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

Adjective

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French nuptial, nupcial, borrowed from Latin nuptiālis "of a marriage or wedding," from nuptiae "marriage, wedding" (from nupta "married woman, bride," noun derivative from feminine of nuptus —past participle of nūbere "[of a woman] to get married"— + -iae, plural of -ia, denominal suffix of appurtenance) + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at nubile

Noun

derivative of nuptial entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nuptial was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near nuptial

Cite this Entry

“Nuptial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuptial. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

nuptial

1 of 2 adjective
nup·​tial ˈnəp-shəl How to pronounce nuptial (audio) -chəl How to pronounce nuptial (audio)
1
: of or relating to marriage or a wedding
2
: typical of the breeding season

nuptial

2 of 2 noun
: wedding
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on nuptial

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