Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

espouse

/ɪˈspaʊz/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.68 in modern English

Syllables
es-pouse
IPA
/ɪˈspaʊz/
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To marry.

Transitive verb

verb

To accept, support, or take on as one’s own (an idea or a cause).

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English espousen, borrowed from Old French espouser, from Latin spōnsāre (frequentative of spondeō), from Proto-Indo-European *spend-.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /ɪˈspaʊz/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce espouse?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɪˈspaʊz/.
What does espouse mean?
To marry.
Where does espouse come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce espouse

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “espouse”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪˈspaʊz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “espouse”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “espouse” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.