Wedded

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈwɛdəd/

Definitions

1. United in a formal relationship, usually through marriage
2. Formally united as spouses through a legal or ceremonial commitment
3. Bound together by the official and recognized act of marriage

Etymology: Before "wedded" described a married couple, the root meant a pledge or a bet. The Proto-Germanic "wadją" meant "pledge," and the same root gave Old English and Old Norse words for a formal promise. A "wed" was originally a solemn pledge sealed by a guarantee, and the idea of binding two parties by a promise is what the marriage sense grew from. The verb "wed" came into English as "weddien," meaning to pledge or bind oneself by a promise, and marriage was its later and narrower application. The Germanic relatives show how close the link to wagering remained: German "wetten," Dutch "wedden," and Icelandic "veðja" all mean "to bet." Old Scots kept "wed" with the sense of pledging a wager too. "Wedded" is simply the past tense and past participle of "wed," so its meaning follows the verb's path from a binding pledge to a marriage vow. The same root also gave English "gage," "engage," and "wage," all tied to the idea of giving a pledge.

Synonyms: married, joined, united, bonded, coupled

Antonyms: divorced, separated, single, unmarried, disjoined