promposal

See also: prom-posal

English

Alternative forms

• prom-posal

Etymology

Blend of prom +‎ proposal.

Noun

promposal (plural promposals)

1. (informal) An invitation, especially one which is made in an elaborate manner, in which the invitee is asked to accompany the inviter to a prom.
   • 2011 May 26, Zosia Bielski, “‘Promposals’ ratchet up the fun, and the competition”, in Globe and Mail, Canada, retrieved 25 April 2013:

     Once posed as a timid "Will you go to prom with me?" in the locker room, the promposal is now an extravagant public affair: Think choreographed dance numbers, serenades, elaborate scavenger hunts and dramatic staging.

   • 2012 April 22, Beth J. Harpaz, "‘Prom-posal’: Clever, elaborate prom invite, Washington Times / AP (retrieved 25 April 2013):

     Rebecca Leet, 17, had an audience of more than 250 people for a prom-posal from her boyfriend, Joe Nelson, 18.

   • 2013 April 16, William Wolfe-Wylie, “It’s the season for promposals, the new trend in high school love”, in canada.com, retrieved 25 April 2013:

     Promposals can mimic marriage proposals — dropping down to one knee, and all that — or they can be more fun. Most appear to simply spell “prom?” in a creative way, and involve flowers.

   • 2023 May 14, Caroline Levich, “For Whom the Smell Tolls Adventure Part One)” (6:20 from the start), in The Great North‎^[1], season 3, episode 21, spoken by Judy Tobin (Jenny Slate):

     “So, if we want to make an impulse promposal, we hold the door up, and ask him to go to prom, and then shoot the confetti gun.” “Simple. Tasteful. Elegant.”

Related terms

• prompose

References

• “promposal”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.