bridegroom

Meaning

A man in the context of his own wedding; one who is going to marry or has just been married.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbɹaɪdˌɡɹuːm/

Etymology

From Middle English brydgrome, bridegome, from Old English brȳdguma, from Proto-Germanic *brūdigumô; equivalent to Old English brȳd (“bride”) + guma (“man”). Altered by folk etymology to end with groom, with it re-analyzed as or influenced by grom, grome (“attendant”), as guma was obsolete. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Brüüdicham, Dutch bruidegom, Afrikaans bruidegom, German Low German Brödigam, Brüdigam, Brögam, Brügam, Plautdietsch Briegaum, German Bräutigam, Norwegian Bokmål brudgom, Norwegian Nynorsk brudgom, Danish brudgom, Swedish brudgum, Icelandic brúðgumi, Faroese brúðgómur.