nuptial

[nuhp-shuh l, -chuh l] /ˈnʌp ʃəl, -tʃəl/

adjective

of or pertaining to marriage or the marriage ceremony:

the nuptial day; nuptial vows.

of, pertaining to, or characteristic of mating or the mating season of animals:

nuptial behavior.

noun

Usually, nuptials. a wedding or marriage.

Origin

1480-90; (Middle French) < Latin nuptiālis, equivalent to nupti(ae) marriage, wedding, derivative of nubēre to marry (of a woman); cf. nubile

Related forms

nuptially, adverb

quasi-nuptial, adjective

Synonym Study

3. See marriage.

Pronunciation note

The pronunciations

[nuhp-choo-uh l] /ˈnʌp tʃu əl/ (Show IPA) and

[nuhp-shoo-uh l] /ˈnʌp ʃu əl/ by analogy with such words as mutual and actual, are not considered standard.

Examples from the web for nuptial

The bride will be a vision in traditional nuptial white, right down to her.
Eight months and eight days ago, tonight's nuptial couple met at a party attended by professed vampires and vampire wannabees.
Their explosive acts of heroism are fatal but fruitless attempts to prevent other males from consummating your nuptial flight.
Today, of course, people are far too pragmatic to consider whether or not their nuptial plans uphold ancient patrician values.
The film begins conventionally enough, with the happy couple's nuptial ceremony.
Everyone, in fact, seems downright delirious--from the usual near- frantic nuptial logistics and from unconcealed fiscal rapture.
They hold a pre-nuptial feast, one that the governor attends.
Sparrows mate and nest, termites appear suddenly for brief nuptial flights, and even human couples are seen pairing off.
Similar to nuptial adults, but somewhat more deeply or richly colored.
The queen mates during one period of her life in a series of excursions called nuptial flights.

British Dictionary definitions for nuptial

nuptial

/ˈnʌpʃəl; -tʃəl/

adjective

relating to marriage; conjugal: nuptial vows

(zoology) of or relating to mating: the nuptial flight of a queen bee

Derived Forms

nuptially, adverb

Word Origin

C15: from Latin nuptiālis, from nuptiae marriage, from nubere to marry

Word Origin and History for nuptial

adj.

late 15c., from Middle French nuptial, or directly from Latin nuptialis "pertaining to marriage," from nuptiae "wedding," from nupta, fem. past participle of nubere "to marry, wed, take as a husband," related to Greek nymphe "bride," from PIE *sneubh- "to marry, wed" (cf. Old Church Slavonic snubiti "to love, woo," Czech snoubiti "to seek in marriage," Slovak zasnubit "to betroth"). Related: Nuptially.