benedict
n. countablen. a person who has recently married, especially one who was a long-time bachelor. It is a playful or old-fashioned way to describe a friend who finally settled down.
n. a newly married man, particularly one who was previously considered a confirmed bachelor. Derived from the character in Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing', the term carries a literary or humorous tone.
Our old friend is finally a Benedict after years of single life.
The office threw a small party for the new Benedict upon his return from the honeymoon.
Having spent decades championing the virtues of solitude, he surprised his entire social circle by becoming a Benedict in his late fifties.
From Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, from Late Latin benedictus (“blessed, well spoken of”), from Latin benedīcō (“I bless, I speak well of”). Doublet of Bennett, Benoit, and Benito.
Usually capitalised as it is an eponym; primarily used in literary or humorous contexts.