Bride
/braɪd/noun
A woman on her wedding day or just before and after the wedding.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to cook, prepare, or ferment,” a reminder that many ancient wedding terms grew out of rites of preparation, not just love.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhreu-
“to boil, bubble, ferment, prepare”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brūdijō
“young woman, bride”
Old English
OE
brȳd
“bride, woman newly married or about to be married”
Old High German
OHG
brūt
“bride”
Middle English
ME
bride
“a woman on her wedding day or newly married”
Modern English
English
bride
“a woman on her wedding day or just before and after the wedding”