newlywed
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Newlywed is the most general term, describing either partner in a couple who married very recently, and is most often used in the plural (newlyweds). Bride refers specifically to the woman on or immediately after her wedding day, and groom refers to the man in the same situation — both terms are tied to the wedding event itself rather than the period of marriage that follows. Honeymooners narrows the timeframe further to the couple while they are travelling on their honeymoon. A newly married couple is a slightly more formal phrase that functions identically to newlyweds but is less common in casual conversation. If you want to talk about a couple in the first months of marriage, newlyweds is the natural choice: 'The newlyweds are still decorating their apartment.' If you are describing the wedding day itself, bride and groom fit better: 'The bride wore a long white dress, and the groom looked nervous.'
Common collocations
Phrases
- honeymoon phase
- newlywed period
- start of married life
Etymology
Newlywed comes from two English words: new (meaning recent) and wed (an old word meaning to marry). The verb wed goes back to Old English weddian, which meant to make a solemn promise or pledge. The compound form newlywed first appeared in the early 1900s and quickly became popular in American English, especially in its plural form newlyweds, which is now the most common way to refer to a recently married couple.