prenuptial agreement

noun \ ˈprē-ˌnəp \

variants: or less commonly prenup or prenuptial

Updated on: 21 Mar 2018

Definition of prenuptial agreement

: an agreement made between two people before marrying that establishes rights to property and support in the event of divorce or death

Prenuptial agreements have long been used by couples who want to set down the terms of any future divorce before they walk down the aisle.
—Desa Philadelphia

Even though there's a prenup, it's unclear how much of Liz's money Fortensky will end up with …
—Newsweek

See prenuptial agreement defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of prenuptial agreement from the Web

Vanessa Trump, a former model, filed for an uncontested proceeding and the couple likely had a prenuptial agreement, according to experts.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr.'s wife, files for divorce," 15 Mar. 2018
Moderator Barbara Ransby, who is also a University of Illinois at Chicago professor and a neighborhood resident, concurred, suggesting that—like a prenuptial agreement—a CBA doesn't mean there's no love.

— deanna isaacs, Chicago Reader, "East-coasters should butt out of Obama Presidential Center debate, south-siders agree," 9 Mar. 2018
The fashion designer could walk away with nearly $12 million thanks to the former couple’s prenuptial agreement, a source previously confirmed to PEOPLE.

— mike miller, PEOPLE.com, "Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman Agree to a Divorce Settlement: Source," 10 Jan. 2018
That could mean problems for people with prenuptial agreements who divorce in 2019.

— jan m. rosen, New York Times, "Tips for Coping With the Changes in the Tax Code," 23 Feb. 2018
People who aren’t rich or famous typically don’t have prenuptial agreements, which are legal documents detailing who gets what in a divorce.

— liz weston, The Seattle Times, "Liz Weston: You’re married, but your assets don’t have to be," 12 Feb. 2018
Her practice focuses on all areas of family law with an emphasis on complex divorces, prenuptial agreements, and collaborative practice.

— OregonLive.com, "Business Movers: Ellen Renskley, former chief risk officer for OHSU, moves to Integro Insurance," 8 Feb. 2018
The pair, who had a prenuptial agreement to divide their property, share no children.

— karen mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, "Tricia Helfer, Star of Lucifer & Battlestar Galactica, Files for Divorce from Husband of 13 Years," 26 Jan. 2018
Increasingly, new world entrepreneurs who get married are turning to a practice more common in old-money ranks: prenuptial agreements meant to preserve one’s assets and pave the way for a smoother union — or make for a tidier breakup.

— carolyne zinko, San Francisco Chronicle, "A prenup primer: What Silicon Valley couples should consider," 25 Jan. 2018

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

First Known Use of prenuptial agreement

1882

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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