bridal

1 of 2

noun

brid·​al ˈbrī-dᵊl 

: a marriage festival or ceremony

bridal

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a bride or a wedding : nuptial

2

: intended for a newly married couple

a bridal suite

Did you know?

A secondary meaning of Old English ealu, the ancestor of Modern English ale, was “feast, banquet,” at which the drinking of ale was a prominent activity. There were a number of these feasts and banquets that survived into the 19th century, but the oldest and best-established was the bride-ale, or wedding feast, attested in Old English as brydealu. In Middle English the ale half of the word had lost its stress and was associated with the noun suffix –al (as in funeral) and the adjective suffix (as in parental). By the 18^th^ century, bridal was perceived primarily as an adjective, as it is today.

Synonyms

Noun

• espousal
• marriage
• nuptial(s)
• wedding

Examples of bridal in a Sentence

Noun

an old-fashioned country bridal

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Their customer and product categories have increasingly expanded to eight collections a year, bridal and eyewear. —Emily Mercer, WWD, 7 Feb. 2025

Discover Vogue’s pick of the best bridal looks from the spring 2025 couture shows in Paris, below. —Taylor Anderson, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025

Adjective

For the mission itself, Alan switches sacraments to don a bridal gown and explains to our players (who are similarly dressed to the nines) that our pairs will go head to head, meaning half of them will ultimately walk away with a shield. —Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025

Writing for The Knot, bridal fashion and shopping expert Sarah Title explained how the tradition dates back to a time when most marriages were arranged. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bridale, from Old English brȳdealu, from brȳd + ealu ale — more at ale

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bridal

• bridal party
• bridal shower
• bridal suite
• bridal wreath

Kids Definition

bridal

1 of 2 noun

brid·​al ˈbrīd-ᵊl 

: wedding

bridal

2 of 2 adjective

: of or relating to a bride or a wedding