nuptials
nuhp-SHULZ
/ˈnʌp.ʃəlz/
A wedding ceremony or the state of being married.
Specifically refers to the ceremony itself and carries a much more formal, grand, or traditional tone than simply saying 'wedding'.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'nuptiae', which is derived from 'nubere', meaning 'to cover' or 'to veil'. This refers to the ancient Roman custom of the bride wearing a flame-colored veil during the ceremony to protect her from evil spirits.
Word relationships
- wedding: Wedding is the standard, everyday term; nuptials is formal and often implies a grander scale.
- marriage: Marriage refers to the long-term state of being wed, while nuptials focuses on the event.
- divorce: The legal dissolution of the union created by the nuptials.
- annulment: A legal ruling that the nuptials never validly occurred.
Commonly confused with
- matrimony: Nuptials is the event; matrimony is the institution or state of being married.
Word family
- nuptial (adjective): Relating to marriage or weddings.
Collocations
- royal nuptials
- impending nuptials
- celebrate nuptials
Example sentences
- "The royal nuptials were celebrated with a week of public festivities and banquets." A classic literary description of a grand event.
- "The nuptials took place in a small chapel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea." Describing the timing of a ceremony.
Memory hook
Think of 'nuptials' as the 'new-up-shals' (newly up at the altar). The veil 'covers' the nuptials.
When not to use
Avoid in casual conversation with friends (e.g., 'Coming to my nuptials?') as it sounds overly stiff or pretentious.
Fun facts
- In biological terms, 'nuptial flight' refers to the mating flight of some insects, like ants or bees.
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