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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.
Example Sentences
Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 May 2022
Markarian Sleeveless Cutout Midi Dress $3,200 at Bergdorf Goodman Markarian's modern take on bridal has become the fashionista's dream choice for wedding dresses.
—Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2023
Sofía Arribas and Saioa Goitia are the genius minds behind Sophie et Voilà, the go-to bridal wear company for European brides since 2016.
—ELLE, 7 June 2023
For the bride-to-be, selecting the best bridal clutch for wedding events and celebrations is just as important as picking out the right gown.
—Alicia Banilivy, harpersbazaar.com, 1 June 2023
See All of Sofia Richie's Gorgeous Wedding Week Looks The pair's appearance at the fashion show doesn't come as a surprise considering Richie chose to wear three custom bridal looks for her weekend-long wedding celebrations last month.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 10 May 2023
For many, Sophia Richie’s social media debut touting her exclusive, not-so-quiet-quiet-luxury wedding in the South of France was the deciding factor to begin their search for a weekend of cohesive bridal looks.
—Cortne Bonilla, harpersbazaar.com, 2 June 2023
Materials Crystals, Rhodium Plated 20 Pop of Color MATEO Buttercup Drip 14-Karat Gold Multi-Stone Earrings $8,950 at NET-A-PORTER Take your bridal look up a notch with an unexpected color.
—Sophie Dweck, townandcountrymag.com, 26 May 2023
In collaboration with longtime Shondaland costume designer Lyn Elizabeth Paolo, Shondaland and Allure Bridals have announced a first-ever bridal gown collection inspired by the opulence of Netflix’s Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte.
—Shanae Hardy, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 May 2023
Harper's BAZAAR, 13 June 2023
The company specializes in dresses sizes 14 through 32 and offers a variety of styles, including more casual, everyday looks, as well as formalwear, wedding guest dresses, and even bridal.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
At noon, a fashion show will be held so attendees can experience and explore bridal gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, and hair and makeup.
—Dallas News, 4 Jan. 2023
And Rashmi Patel of Henna by Rashmi is a professional bridal henna and Mehndi artist.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 9 June 2023
Signet, which owns Zales and Kay Jewelers, is not the only bridal retailer experiencing difficulty.
—Rachel Shin, Fortune, 8 June 2023
The store will be at booth 23 during the Grand Prix pop-up shop, where Bumphers expects to sell bridal gowns, sundresses and accessories.
—Detroit Free Press, 2 June 2023
With bridal season in full bloom, designers are rolling out a fresh crop of wedding-worthy hair accessories to elevate any hairdo on the big day and beyond.
—Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 June 2023
Queen Rania shared a slickly edited video a week earlier of the traditional bridal henna ceremony that showed a mix of princesses as well as hundreds of women from all over Jordan — notably including women from more modest villages and deserts.
—Sarah Dadouch, Washington Post, 2 June 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 9 Jul. 2023.
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