Etymology: Partly (i) < Anglo-Norman espus, Anglo-Norman and Middle French espous (compare Old French espos , espus ; Middle French, French †espoux , French époux ) husband, bridegroom, fiancé ( < classical Latin sponsus bridegroom, fiancé, in post-classical Latin also husband, use as noun of sponsus , past participle: see espouse v.), and partly (ii) < Anglo-Norman espus, espuse, Anglo-Norman and Middle French espouse (compare Old French espose , espouse , espuse ; French †espouse , now épouse ) wife, bride, fiancée ( < classical Latin sponsa bride, fiancée, in post-classical Latin also wife, feminine form corresponding to sponsus ). Compare Old Occitan espos , espoza , Catalan espòs , esposa (both 14th cent.), Spanish esposo , esposa (both end of the 12th cent.), Portuguese esposo , esposa (both 13th cent.), Italian sposo (13th cent.), sposa sposa n. Compare earlier spouse n.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman espuser, asposer, Anglo-Norman and Middle French espouser (compare Old French esposer , espouser , espuser ; French épouser , †espouser ) to marry (a spouse, especially a woman) (c1050 in Old French), to arrange for (a person or a couple) to be married (first half of the 12th cent.), to get married (to one another) (15th cent.), to associate or ally oneself with (a person, doctrine, opinion, etc.), to take (a cause, party, way of life, etc.) to oneself (first half of the 16th cent.), with development of a prosthetic vowel (compare espouse n.) < classical Latin sponsāre to become engaged to marry (a woman) (attested in an 8th-cent. epitome of a 2nd-cent. grammarian), in post-classical Latin also in figurative use (4th cent.), to marry off (10th cent.), to take as spouse (from c1000 in British sources) < sponsus , past participle of spondēre spond v. Compare Old Occitan espozar , Catalan esposar (14th cent.), Spanish esposar (second half of the 13th cent.), Portuguese esposar (12th cent.), Italian sposare (first half of the 13th cent.). Compare earlier spouse v.