[spouse] n [ME, fr. OF espous (masc.) & espouse (fem.), fr. L sponsus betrothed man, groom & sponsa betrothed woman, bride, both fr. sponsus, pp. of spondere to promise, betroth; akin to Gk spendein to pour a libation, Hitt sipant-] (13c): married person: husband, wife -- spou.sal adj
[2]spouse vt spoused ; spous.ing (13c) archaic: wed