What does bridal mean?
Bridal is an adjective describing anything relating to a bride or to a wedding. It appears almost exclusively before nouns in set expressions such as bridal gown, bridal veil, bridal party, bridal shower, and bridal suite, giving it a distinctly formal or commercial register associated with the wedding industry. The word derives from the Old English compound brȳdealo, literally "bride-ale," referring to the ale drunk at a wedding feast; over time the second element was reinterpreted as the suffix -al, producing the modern form. Because of this origin, bridal carries connotations of celebration and tradition rather than mere legality, distinguishing it from plainer terms like marital. It should not be confused with bridle, the headgear for a horse, despite their similar spelling and pronunciation. Bridal remains a common and useful term in both British and American English wherever wedding-related matters are discussed.
Of or relating to a bride or to a wedding.
"The bridal party arrived at the church shortly before noon."
Typically used attributively in fixed phrases like bridal gown or bridal shower.
(Archaic) A wedding or wedding celebration; a marriage feast.
"The village gathered for the bridal that summer evening."
This nominal sense is now largely obsolete or literary.
The plural applies only to the archaic noun sense meaning wedding feasts; it is rare in modern usage.
"In old chronicles, the bridals of nobles were celebrated for days."
"Bridal" began life as "bride-ale" — the ale drunk at a bride's wedding feast — which is why it rhymes so neatly with words like "idle."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bridal
Bridal comes from the Old English compound brȳdealo, meaning "bride-ale" — the festive drink served at a bride's wedding celebration. In Middle English the word was bridale, still functioning as a noun for the wedding feast itself, before the second element came to be understood as the suffix -al, yielding the modern adjective form relating to brides and weddings. It is related to other English words formed on "bride," such as bridegroom and bridesmaid.
How bridal is actually used
Almost always used attributively, before a noun (bridal dress, bridal party). Predicative use ("the gown is bridal") is rare and awkward. The word carries formal or commercial connotations, common in the wedding industry.
Easily confused with bridal
"Bridle" is the headgear used to control a horse (or, as a verb, to show anger or resentment), while "bridal" relates to a bride or wedding.