spousessn.
/spaʊˈsɛs/, U.S. /ˈspaʊsəs/, /ˈspaʊˌsɛs/ Now rare.
A female spouse; a wife, a bride; a fiancée.Chiefly figurative, in religious use (cf. spouse n. 2a), until the 17th cent.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > married person > married woman > [noun] > wife
wifeeOE
womanc1275
peerc1330
spousessc1384
ladyc1390
good lady1502
girl?a1513
spousage1513
little lady1523
the weaker vessel1526
companion1535
wedlock1566
Mrs1572
dame1574
rib?1590
feme1595
fathom1602
feme covert1602
shrew1606
wife of one's bosom1611
kickie-wickiea1616
heifer1616
sposa1624
bosom-partner1633
goodwife1654
little woman1715
squaw1767
the Mrs1821
missus1823
maw1826
lady wife1840
tart1864
mistress1873
mama1916
ball and chain1921
trouble and strife1929
old boot1958
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > betrothal > [noun] > betrothed person > woman
spousessc1384
bride-to-be1829
fiancé1853
novia1874
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > marriage or wedlock > wedding or nuptials > people connected with wedding > [noun] > bride
brideOE
spousessc1384
espousee1480
bridewoman1530
bride-wife1567
espousess1597
novia1874
makoti1949
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) John iii. 29 He that hath a spousesse, or wyf, is the spouse, or hosebonde.
Remonstr. against Romish Corruptions (Titus) (1851) 53 Bi souereyn wisdom, goodnesse, and loue to holi chirche his spousesse.
a1450 St. Katherine (Richardson 44) (1884) 21 The Spouse loueth the Spousesse, the Sauyour visiteth hir.
a1500 in W. G. Henderson Liber Pontificalis C. Bainbridge (1875) 238 To conserve and kepe us his true hand maydyns, virgins, and spousessis.
a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. xxix. sig. k.iiv Her spouse Ihesus, hauynge pyte and cure Upon his spouses.
1547 tr. Herman V of Wied Simple & Relig. Consultation sig. H h vj They whiche haue mutually promised matrimonie betwene themselues shal go both the spouse and spousesse [etc.].
1615 E. Hoby Curry-combe iv. 157 The Mother of Christians, the Spousesse of the Holy Ghost.
1651 S. Spinckes Hand-kercheffe Ep. Ded. sig. A2 To The Much Honoured and truely Vertuous The Lady Anne Scott, Late the Spousesse of Sir Edward Scott, of Scotts Hall.
1802 Daily Advertiser & Oracle 30 Aug. 2/4 Let us suppose that Don Phœbus is the spouse, and Madam Phœbe the spousess.
1870 S. K. Hoshour Lett. to Squire Pedant (ed. 4) xiii. 57 There percase, I ogled for the first time at my present spousess.
1944 Winnipeg Tribune 24 Feb. 13/6 If volunteers bring their spouses or spousesses the said spouses or spousesses must produce a registration card at the door.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.c1384