c. 1200, "a married person, either one of a married pair, but especially a married woman in relation to her husband," also "Christ or God as the spiritual husband of the soul, the church, etc.," also "marriage, the wedded state," from Old French spous (fem. spouse) "marriage partner," variant of espous/espouse (Modern French épous/épouse), from Latin sponsus "bridegroom" (fem. sponsa "bride"), literally "betrothed," from masc. and fem. past participle of spondere "to bind oneself, promise solemnly," from PIE *spend- "to make an offering, perform a rite" (see sponsor (n.)). Spouse-breach (early 13c.) was an old name for "adultery."

"marriage, wedlock," mid-14c., from spouse (n.) + -age.

1510s, "pertaining to marriage," from spouse (n.) + -al (1).

"formally wedded, united in wedlock, having a spouse," late 14c., past-participle adjective from marry (v.).

"divination by means of melted wax dripped in water" (the shapes supposedly previsioning a future spouse, etc.), 1650s, from French ceromancie, Medieval Latin ceromantia; see cero-  "wax" + -mancy "divination by means of."

late 14c., moder-in-laue, "mother of one's spouse," from mother (n.1) + in-law. Also in early use, "stepmother." In British slang c. 1884, mother-in-law was said to mean "a mixture of ales old and bitter."

late 14c., from Old French esposailles (plural) "act of betrothal" (12c., Modern French époussailles), from Latin sponsalia "betrothal, espousal, wedding," noun use of neuter plural of sponsalis "of a betrothal," from sponsa "spouse" (see espouse). For the -e- see e-. Figuratively, of causes, principles, etc., from 1670s.

of humans, "having or permitted to have but one living and undivorced wife or husband at a time," 1778 (of animal pairings from 1770), from Medieval Latin monogamus, from Greek monogamos "marrying only once" (see monogamy). Also sometimes "not remarrying after the death of a spouse." Related: Monogamist (1650s); monogamistic.

1540s, "pertaining to marriage, nuptial," also "pertaining to the relationship of husband and wife," from French conjugal (13c.), from Latin coniugalis "relating to marriage," from coniunx (genitive coniugis) "spouse," which is related to coniugare "to join together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iugare "to join," from iugum "yoke" (from PIE root *yeug- "to join"). Related: Conjugacy; conjugality.

c. 1400, divorcen, "to put away or abandon (a spouse); to dissolve the marriage contract between by process of law," from Old French divorcer, from divorce (see divorce (n.)). Extended sense of "release or sever from any close connection" is from early 15c. Related: Divorced; divorcing.