Spousal Meaning
/ˈspaʊzəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjof or relating to marriage
adjof or relating to a spouse, spouses; to the relationship between spouses
Sentence Examples
A court ordered Yanni to pay 4000 dinars a month for spousal support.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ relationship between husband and wife requires mutual trust and honesty.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new laws include improved ____ benefits for the partners of military veterans who served abroad.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English spouse Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English spousal From spouse + -al.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"There ſhall vvee conſummate our ſpouſall rites."
— 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:
"We identify the degree of complementarity by calibrating #92;rho such that the model matches the reduced-form spousal spillover impact of the 2011 Norwegian pension reform."
— 2025 October 26, Sigurd M. Galaasen, Herman Kruse, “Spousal spillovers in the labor market: A structural assessment”, in Review of Economic Dynamics, volume 58, →DOI:
"The Spouſals of Hippolita the Queen;"
— 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:
"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."
— 1867, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “May-Day”, in May-Day and Other Pieces, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 17:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ relationship between husband and wife requires mutual trust and honesty.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The new laws include improved ____ benefits for the partners of military veterans who served abroad.