Epithal

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lyric poem or song written to celebrate a wedding and the bride and groom
2. A poetic composition composed in honor of a marriage, often sung at the nuptials
3. Verse written to praise a newly married couple, traditionally recited or sung at a wedding

Etymology: The Greek "epithalamion" combined "epi-", meaning "upon", with "thalamos", meaning "bridal chamber" or bedroom. It named a song sung outside the newlyweds' room, so the poem was named for the place where it was performed, not for the marriage itself. "Epithal" is a clipped form of that longer name, and it keeps the same meaning: a poem written to celebrate a wedding. English poets adopted the form, and Edmund Spenser's "Epithalamion," written for his own marriage, is the best-known example in English. Its title and its meaning are the same as the Greek original's.