betrothed

[bih-trohth d, -trawtht] /bɪˈtroʊðd, -ˈtrɔθt/
adjective
1.
engaged to be married:
She is betrothed to that young lieutenant.
noun
2.
the person to whom one is engaged:
He introduced us to his betrothed.
Origin
1530-40; betroth + -ed2
Related forms
unbetrothed, adjective

betroth

[bih-trohth , -trawth] /bɪˈtroʊð, -ˈtrɔθ/
verb (used with object)
1.
to arrange for the marriage of; affiance (usually used in passive constructions):
The couple was betrothed with the approval of both families.
2.
Archaic. to promise to marry.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English betrouthe, variant of betreuthe (be- be- + treuthe truth; see troth)
Synonyms
1. engage, promise, pledge, plight.
Examples from the web for betrothed
  • The accepted and betrothed lover has lost the wildest charm of his maiden in her acceptance of him.
  • He had previously been betrothed to her older sister.
  • The parents leave the cards of the betrothed pair, with their own, on all the connections and friends of the two families.
British Dictionary definitions for betrothed

betrothed

/bɪˈtrəʊðd/
adjective
1.
engaged to be married: he was betrothed to her
noun
2.
the person to whom one is engaged; fiancé or fiancée

betroth

/bɪˈtrəʊð/
verb
1.
(transitive) (archaic) to promise to marry or to give in marriage
Word Origin
C14 betreuthen, from be- + treuthetroth, truth
Word Origin and History for betrothed
adj.

1530s, past participle adjective from betroth (v.). As a noun, in use by 1580s.

betroth

v.

c.1300, betrouthen, from bi-, here probably with a sense of "thoroughly," + Middle English treowðe "truth," from Old English treowðe "truth, a pledge" (see troth). Related: Betrothed; betrothing.

betrothed in the Bible

to promise "by one's truth." Men and women were betrothed when they were engaged to be married. This usually took place a year or more before marriage. From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed (Deut. 28:30; Judg. 14:2, 8; Matt. 1:18-21). The term is figuratively employed of the spiritual connection between God and his people (Hos. 2:19, 20).