marriageable
Meaning
(of a person, especially a woman) considered suitable for marriage, especially because of age or social status.
Structure
Usage
In many traditional societies, a woman was considered marriageable as soon as she reached puberty.
His stable career and good character made him highly marriageable in the eyes of the community.
The novel explores the pressures faced by marriageable young women in the 19th century.
Etymology
The word "marriageable" is a modern English formation built upon the established noun "marriage," which entered English via Old French from the Latin verb maritare, meaning "to wed" or "to give in marriage," itself derived from maritus for "husband." The suffix "-able," of Latin origin via French, is productively attached to nouns and verbs to create adjectives indicating suitability or fitness. Therefore, the literal construction "marriage + able" transparently yields the meaning "fit for marriage." This term historically carried strong socio-economic connotations, assessing an individual's (traditionally a woman's) readiness based on age, virtue, and often dowry, a logic directly inherited from the practical and contractual origins of the institution of marriage itself.
Analysis
- marriage: From Old French mariage, from Latin maritare (to marry), from maritus (husband). Functions as the core noun root. - able: From Old French -able, from Latin -abilis (capable of, worthy of). Functions as a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, or worthy of (the action of the root verb)".