ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wedding

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈwɛdɪŋ// UK //wˈɛdɪŋ// wed·ding Archaic General-service Humorous

n. a special ceremony where two people get married. It usually involves a party with family and friends to celebrate the new couple.

n. a marriage ceremony and the associated social festivities. Often used attributively to modify other nouns like 'cake', 'dress', or 'vows'.


SIMPLE

They are planning a small wedding for next summer.

CONTEXTUAL

The couple decided to have a destination wedding on a beach in Italy with only their closest friends.

COMPLEX

While traditional weddings often follow a strict religious liturgy, many modern couples opt for secular ceremonies that reflect their personal values and shared history.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English wedding, weddynge, from Old English weddung (“betrothal, espousal”), equivalent to wed + -ing. Cognate with Middle Dutch weddinghe.

Etymology 2

A conversion of wedding (noun) to a verb.

Usage

Commonly used as a noun adjunct to modify other nouns, such as 'wedding ring' or 'wedding guest'.

Pitfall

They invited me to their marriage.They invited me to their wedding.Learners often confuse 'marriage' (the long-term relationship) with 'wedding' (the one-day ceremony).

Idioms3 entries

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