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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
Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
Florence Pugh added some edge to what could've otherwise been a traditional bridal look.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 Sep. 2023
However, the kinds of stones that go into the cheaper one- or two-carat solitaire bridal rings popular in the US have experienced far sharper price drops than the rest of the market.
—Thomas Biesheuvel, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2023
This pearlescent nude seamlessly transitions from beachy to bridal and looks amazing on all skin tones.
—Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 Aug. 2023
The bridesmaids wore ice blue dresses by Bec & Bridge bridal and carried bouquets of white roses and baby’s breath.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2023
The Bachelor in Paradise star, 28, who married husband Dylan Barbour, 29, on Wednesday in Paris says her bridal looks were inspired by the past.
—Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023
But the pool of available bridal seamstresses is barely able to keep up.
—Shannon Sims, New York Times, 27 July 2023
But as for flou, there were many and various bridal looks on offer.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2023
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 11 Sep. 2023
Carly wore a stunning bridal gown designed by Enzoani, and Myles, a writer, wore a tuxedo by Dion Julian Lattimore for Knotstandard.
—Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
Swimwear: Beaded and bedazzled, fancy and frilly, lacy and Lycra-fitted — bridal bikinis are here.
—Alix Wall, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2023
In addition to dressing the film’s director and its lead (Presley’s iconic bridal gown was reimagined by Virginie Viard and produced thanks to the joint expertise of the Haute Couture and Métiers d'Art ateliers), the connections between Chanel, Elvis, and Coppola run deep.
—Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
Hailey Bieber wore three bespoke bridal gowns to marry Justin Bieber in September 2019
Hailey Bieber’s wedding dresses — all three! — were designed to remember.
—Hannah Kerns, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023
The Black designer who’s doing the robes, W Legacy, is going to give away a bridal robe.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 28 Aug. 2023
This Labor Day, existing sale items will be an extra 40% off, including wedding gowns and bridal sets from August 31 to September 4.
—Jake Smith, Glamour, 22 Aug. 2023
Robin, 62, wore a bridal white blazer, white lace pants and heels, while her longtime love sported a white jumpsuit.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bridal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
Middle English bridale, from Old English brȳdealu, from brȳd + ealu ale — more at ale
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing bridal
Dictionary Entries Near bridal
Cite this Entry
“Bridal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bridal. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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