Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of becoming betrothed or engaged: The formal act or ceremony of promising to marry someone.
   • A mutual promise to marry: The state of being engaged to be married, involving a formal agreement between two people.

Usage

• Betrothal is a formal term, often used in historical, legal, or traditional contexts to describe the period of engagement before marriage. It implies a formal, often public, promise.

Examples

• The families celebrated the couple's betrothal with a large feast.
• In some cultures, a betrothal is considered as binding as the marriage itself.
• Their betrothal lasted for two years before they were finally married.

Advanced Usage

• "To break a betrothal": To end an engagement formally.
  • Breaking a betrothal in that society carried significant social consequences.
• "Betrothal contract": A formal agreement outlining the terms of the engagement.
  • The betrothal contract was signed by both families.

Variants and Related Words

• Betroth (verb): To formally promise to give someone in marriage or to become engaged.
  • The king betrothed his daughter to a nobleman from a neighboring kingdom.
• Betrothed (noun/adjective): The person to whom one is engaged.
  • He introduced her as his betrothed.

Synonyms

• Engagement: The period during which a couple has agreed to marry. (Less formal than ).
• Espousal: (Archaic) The action of marrying or the state of being engaged to be married.

Idioms and Phrases

• "Pledge one's troth": An archaic phrase meaning to promise faithfulness, especially in marriage or betrothal.
  • They pledged their troth during a simple betrothal ceremony.

Noun

1. the act of becoming betrothed or engaged
2. a mutual promise to marry