Spousal: meaning, definitions and examples

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spousal

[ ˈspaʊzəl ]

Adjective

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

legal term

Relating to marriage or a husband or wife.

Synonyms

conjugal, marital, matrimonial.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
spousal	Used when referring to something related to a spouse, either husband or wife. It is often used in legal and formal contexts. They attended spousal counseling to improve their relationship. Spousal support is required after their divorce.
marital	Refers to anything related to marriage, usually in a more general sense. It can be used in everyday conversation as well as in formal contexts. They are facing some marital issues. The couple decided to seek marital counseling.
conjugal	Pertains to the sexual and married relationship between spouses. It's often used in legal contexts, particularly relating to inmate rights or marriage duties. He was allowed conjugal visits while in prison. They discussed their conjugal rights and duties.
matrimonial	Used in formal and sometimes legal contexts. It pertains to marriage or the relationship between married people, especially focusing on traditions or ceremonies. They attended a matrimonial ceremony last weekend. The lawyer specialized in matrimonial law.

Examples of usage

Spousal support is financial assistance provided by one spouse to the other during or after a divorce.
The spousal relationship is protected under the law.

Translations

Translations of the word "spousal" in other languages:

🇵🇹 conjugal

🇮🇳 पति या पत्नी से संबंधित

🇩🇪 ehelich

🇮🇩 suami-istri

🇺🇦 подружній

🇵🇱 małżeński

🇯🇵 配偶者の

🇫🇷 conjugal

🇪🇸 conyugal

🇹🇷 eş

🇰🇷 배우자의

🇸🇦 زوجي

🇨🇿 manželský

🇸🇰 manželský

🇨🇳 配偶的

🇸🇮 zakonski

🇮🇸 hjónabands

🇰🇿 ерлі-зайыпты

🇬🇪 მეუღლიანი

🇦🇿 ər-arvad

🇲🇽 conyugal

Etymology

The word 'spousal' originated from the Old French word 'spousaille' and ultimately from the Latin word 'sponsālis', which is derived from 'sponsus' meaning 'betrothed' or 'spouse'. The term has been used in legal contexts to refer to the relationship between spouses and the rights and obligations that arise from marriage.