spousal

English

Pronunciation

• (UK, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈspaʊzəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈspaʊzəl/, /ˈspaʊsəl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊzəl

Etymology 1

From spouse + -al.

Adjective

spousal (comparative more spousal, superlative most spousal)

1. of or relating to marriage
2. of or relating to a spouse, spouses; to the relationship between spouses
   • c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, and are to be sold by Edward White & Thomas Millington, […], published 1594, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature [B4], verso:

     There ſhall vvee conſummate our ſpouſall rites.

   • 2025 October, Sigurd M. Galaasen, Herman Kruse, “Spousal spillovers in the labor market: A structural assessment”, in Review of Economic Dynamics, volume 58, →DOI:

     We identify the degree of complementarity by calibrating $\rho$ such that the model matches the reduced-form spousal spillover impact of the 2011 Norwegian pension reform.

Derived terms

• interspousal
• spousal abuse
• spousally
• spousal support

Translations

of or relating to marriage — see also matrimonial,‎ marital

• Esperanto: geedza
• Polish: małżeński (pl)
• Spanish: maridable (es)
• Volapük: matik (vo)

of or relating to a spouse, spouses

• Esperanto: geedza
• Ido: spozala (io)
• Spanish: conyugal (es)
• Volapük: (♂♀) matanik, (♂) himatanik, (♀) jimatanik

Etymology 2

From Middle English spousaille, from Old French esposaille, espousaille, espousalle, Anglo-Norman (e)spusaille, esposalie, sposale, spousaille.

Noun

spousal (plural spousals)

1. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural) Espousal; marriage; nuptials.
   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 2:

     The Spouſals of Hippolita the Queen;

   • 1867, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “May-Day”, in May-Day and Other Pieces, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 17:

     Knowing well to celebrate / With song and hue and star and state, / With tender light and youthful cheer, / The spousals of the new-born year.

References

• “spousal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.