bride-price
Meaning
Money, property, or other valuables given by a groom or his family to the family of the bride, especially in some societies as part of a marriage agreement.
Structure
Usage
In that traditional community, the negotiation of the bride-price is an essential part of the wedding preparations.
The anthropologist studied how the custom of bride-price has evolved in modern urban settings.
The family used the cattle received as bride-price to pay for their son's education.
Etymology
The compound 'bride-price' is a transparent English formation that directly combines two native concepts. The word 'bride' has ancient Germanic roots, originally signifying the woman being married. The word 'price' entered English via French from Latin, carrying the core meaning of value or compensation. When combined, the term literally denotes the 'price for the bride,' reflecting a specific social and economic transaction. This practice, documented in various cultures globally, conceptualizes marriage as involving a compensatory payment from the groom's kin to the bride's family, formally cementing the union and transferring certain rights.
Analysis
bride: From Old English brȳd, meaning 'a woman about to be married or recently married'. Its ultimate origin is Proto-Germanic. price: From Old French pris, meaning 'value, worth, reward', derived from Latin pretium meaning 'price, value, reward'.