Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A marriage ceremony; a wedding.
  • adjective Of or relating to a bride or a marriage ceremony; nuptial.
  • adjective Designed for a bride or a newly married couple.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A feast at a marriage; a wedding-feast.
  • noun A marriage; nuptials.
  • Belonging to a bride or to a wedding: as, a bridal wreath.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A nuptial festival or ceremony; a marriage.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to a bride, or to wedding; nuptial.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a bride, or to wedding; nuptial; as, bridal ornaments; a bridal outfit; a bridal chamber.
  • noun A wedding.
  • noun archaic A wedding feast.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or pertaining to a bride
  • adjective of or relating to a wedding
  • noun archaic terms for a wedding or wedding feast

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English bridale, wedding, wedding feast, from Old English brȳdealo : brȳd, bride; see bride + ealu, ale; see ale.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

bef. 1100; ME bridale wedding feast, OE brȳdealu, equiv. to brȳd bride + ealu ale, i.e., ale-drinking; now taken as bride + -al

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Examples

  • The old du Lac aunts at Rhinebeck had put their house at the disposal of the bridal couple, with a readiness inspired by the prospect of spending a week in New York with Mrs. Archer; and Archer, glad to escape the usual “bridal suite” in a Philadelphia or Baltimore hotel, had accepted with an equal alacrity.

    XIX. Book II 1920

  • Nearly every season I note what I call the bridal day of summer -- a white, lucid, shining day, with a delicate veil of mist softening all outlines.

    The Wit of a Duck and Other Papers John Burroughs 1879

  • I could recover myself into any composure for thinking, the maid came in with her mistress's service, and a small silver orringer of what she called a bridal posset, and desired me to eat it as I went to bed, which consequently I did, and felt immediately a heat, a fire run like a hue-and-cry through every part of my body; I burnt, I glowed, and wanted even little of wishing for any man.

    Memoirs Of Fanny Hill A New and Genuine Edition from the Original Text (London, 1749) John Cleland 1749

  • Now we've added all camo gowns and dresses, made in bridal satin and in 4 patterns ... and girls LOVE them!

    Camo Weddings 2009

  • Now we've added all camo gowns and dresses, made in bridal satin and in 4 patterns ... and girls LOVE them!

    Camo Weddings 2009

  • Weddings are sometimes considered as golden opportunities to showcase the best trends and the latest fads in bridal couture and wedding fashions.

    SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles - Part 12 2009

  • It appeared that there was a disproportionate number of straight girls (often in bridal parties) bringing in uncomfortable boyfriends who didn't always get along well with the gay clientele.

    Gay 90's: Sold drewan 2008

  • What happened in bridal, with the shift online, is happening in all media, only quicker.

    Milking the old cash cow « BuzzMachine 2005

  • One sees all the fruit-trees clad in bridal garments of pink and white; and what a translucent sky smiles down on the ponds and the reaches of bay and cove!

    Further Chronicles of Avonlea Lucy Maud 1920

  • But she stood, dressed in bridal wreath and crown, and took him by the hand and led him into the drawing-room, where the guests were assembled and all was in readiness for the ceremony.

    The Girl from the Marsh Croft 1910

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