bridal

1 of 2

noun

brid·​al ˈbrī-dᵊl 

: a marriage festival or ceremony

bridal

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a bride or a wedding : nuptial

2

: intended for a newly married couple

a bridal suite

Did you know?

A secondary meaning of Old English ealu, the ancestor of Modern English ale, was “feast, banquet,” at which the drinking of ale was a prominent activity. There were a number of these feasts and banquets that survived into the 19th century, but the oldest and best-established was the bride-ale, or wedding feast, attested in Old English as brydealu. In Middle English the ale half of the word had lost its stress and was associated with the noun suffix –al (as in funeral) and the adjective suffix (as in parental). By the 18^th^ century, bridal was perceived primarily as an adjective, as it is today.

Synonyms

Noun

• espousal
• marriage
• nuptial(s)
• wedding

Examples of bridal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Other highlights include an elegant double-height entry foyer resting beneath a skylight and displaying a sweeping bridal staircase, plus a living room sporting parquet floors, a fireplace, music nook and wall of French doors spilling out to a terrace. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024

Brittany wore white cowboy boots in one of her Coachella outfits that year, a two-piece lacey look that screamed bridal. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bridale, from Old English brȳdealu, from brȳd + ealu ale — more at ale

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bridal

• bridal party
• bridal shower
• bridal suite
• bridal wreath

Kids Definition

bridal

1 of 2 noun

brid·​al ˈbrīd-ᵊl 

: wedding

bridal

2 of 2 adjective

: of or relating to a bride or a wedding