Use betrothal for a formal or traditional engagement. In ordinary modern conversation, engagement is much more common, while betrothal often sounds historical, religious, legal, or ceremonial.
Use betrothal for a formal or traditional engagement. In ordinary modern conversation, engagement is much more common, while betrothal often sounds historical, religious, legal, or ceremonial.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Their betrothal was celebrated after the wedding | Their betrothal was celebrated before the wedding |
| They got betrothal last spring | They became betrothed last spring |
| She announced her betrothal with Daniel | She announced her betrothal to Daniel |
Use betrothal for a formal act of becoming engaged, especially in religious, historical, or culturally traditional contexts. For a casual modern event, engagement party or proposal may be clearer.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The betrothal made them husband and wife | The wedding made them husband and wife |
| The priest married them at the betrothal | The priest blessed their betrothal |
| They held a betrothal party to ask her to marry | They held an engagement party after the proposal |
Use betrothal when the engagement is formal, traditional, historical, religious, or legal in tone. In everyday speech, engagement is usually the simpler and more natural word.
Their betrothal to marry repeats the idea, because betrothal already means an engagement to marry. The word also comes before a wedding, not after it.
Formed from betroth, meaning to promise in marriage, plus the noun suffix -al. Betroth goes back to Middle English forms built from be- and troth, an older word meaning truth, faith, loyalty, or a pledged promise. The word therefore carries the idea of giving one's faithful promise to marry.
What does betrothal mean?
It means a formal engagement to marry, either as a promised state or as the act or ceremony of becoming engaged.
Is betrothal the same as engagement?
They are close. Betrothal is usually more formal, traditional, historical, or religious, while engagement is the everyday word.
Is betrothal a wedding?
No. A betrothal comes before marriage. It is a promise or formal step toward marriage, not the wedding itself.
What is a betrothal ceremony?
It is a formal rite or event in which two people become engaged to be married.
What is the plural of betrothal?
The regular plural is betrothals.
What are synonyms of betrothal?
Useful synonyms include engagement, espousal, affiance, pledge, and troth, though some are formal or old-fashioned.
Is betrothal old-fashioned?
It often sounds formal or old-fashioned in modern English, but it is still useful for historical, religious, legal, and ceremonial contexts.