espouse v. + Add to list US //ɪˈspaʊs// UK //ɛspˈaʊs// es·pouse SynonymsEtymology Synonyms adoptconjoinembracefollowmarrywe'dOriginINE-PRO*spend-→LATspōnsō→OFRespouser→MEespousen→ENespouse From Middle English espousen, borrowed from Old French espouser, from Latin spōnsāre (frequentative of spondeō), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-.