What does betroth mean?
Betroth is a formal verb meaning to promise someone in marriage, effectively to engage them to wed. It is used almost exclusively in the passive voice — a person is said to be 'betrothed to' another — and carries a distinctly ceremonial, old-world flavor that makes it a fixture of historical fiction, fairy tales, and accounts of arranged marriages in earlier eras. Where 'engaged' describes the modern, mutually chosen state of being promised in marriage, 'betrothed' evokes a more formal, often family-arranged contract between households. The word derives from the prefix 'be-' combined with 'troth', an archaic term for truth and fidelity, so at its root a betrothal is literally a pledge of faithfulness. The related noun 'betrothal' names the engagement itself, while the participle 'betrothed' can stand alone as a noun meaning a fiancé or fiancée, as in 'his betrothed'. Though rare in everyday conversation, it remains a precise and evocative choice whenever writers want to signal formality, tradition, or a bygone social world.
verbTo formally promise someone in marriage to another person; to engage a person to be married. Almost always used in the passive form 'be betrothed to'.
- To formally engage someone to be married; to promise in marriage (typically in the passive, as in 'she was betrothed to him').
"In the novel, the princess was betrothed to a prince she had never met."
"The young couple were betrothed by their families long before they met."
"Legend holds that the two royal houses were betrothed to secure peace between their kingdoms."
When you say 'betroth', you are literally promising someone your 'truth' — the word is built on an ancient root meaning fidelity, making every betrothal a vow of trustworthiness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of betroth
Betroth comes from Middle English 'bitrethen', formed from the prefix 'be-' plus 'treuthe', the Old English word for truth and fidelity that also gives us modern 'truth' and the archaic 'troth'. The underlying sense is therefore 'to pledge in good faith' — a fitting origin for a word about marriage promises. It has been in use since the Middle Ages, and its cognates within English include 'true', 'trust', and 'troth', all descendants of the same Germanic root.
Related word forms
How betroth is actually used
Formal and somewhat archaic in register; chiefly encountered in historical fiction, fantasy literature, and discussions of traditional marriage customs. In modern English the word appears almost exclusively in the passive ('be betrothed to'); the active construction ('her parents betrothed her') sounds distinctly old-fashioned. The past participle 'betrothed' also functions adjectivally, as in 'his betrothed' meaning his fiancée.
Easily confused with betroth
'Troth' is an archaic noun meaning loyalty or good faith (as in 'plight my troth'), while 'betroth' is the verb meaning to engage someone in marriage.