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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.
Examples of bridal in a Sentence
David Moin, WWD, 4 Dec. 2024
Meagan wore four different custom Sherri Hill bridal looks.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024
Fashion designer Vera Wang has long been known for her exquisite and romantic bridal gowns and edgy ready-to-wear.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near bridal
Cite this Entry
“Bridal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bridal. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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