Unit 7 Vocabulary:

Finding a Spouse
Most definitions
and example sentences
are taken from either
the Merrium-Webster
Online Learnerss
Dictionary or the
NorthStar 3 Reading
and Writing Book (3rd
Edition)

Spouse
Noun: a husband or
wife (someone who is
married)
Different cultures have
solved the problem of
finding a spouse in
different ways.

Commitment
Noun: a promise to do or
give something; a promise
to be loyal to someone or
something
Marriage is a commitment.

Everlasting
Adjective: lasting
forever
I believe they share a
true and everlasting
love.

Enduring
Synonym: continuing,
long lasting
Adjective: to continue
to exist in the same
state or condition

The couple has an

enduring love.

Faithfully
Synonym: loyally
Adverb: in a loyal way
They love each other
faithfully.

Characteristics
Noun: features or
qualities of a person or
thing

Their marriage has all

the characteristics of a
happy one: deep
friendship, love and
trust.

Background
Noun: past experience,
including family life
and education

People try to find to

find someone to marry
who has the right
background.

Unique
Adjective: being the
only one of its kind;
unlike anything else;
special or remarkable
I want to date someone
who is unique.

Religion
Noun: an organized
systems of belief
Religions often have
different ideas and rules
about marriage.

Courtship
Noun: old-fashioned
dating (the period of
time when a couple
gets to know each other
before marriage)
The couple had a twoyear courtship.

Date
Noun: 1. a social or
romantic appointment
We are going on a date.

2. The person you have a

date with
She is my date.

Verb: to go out with

someone romantically
I dated him in high school.
We are dating.

Romantic
Adjective: relating to
feelings of love
The couple is having a
romantic dinner.

Romance
Noun: 1. an exciting
relationship between
lovers (sometimes short)
They had a summer
romance.

2. the feeling of being

in love (non countable)
We need more romance
in our marriage.

Surprise
Verb: to cause
(someone) to feel a
mild shock
The man is surprising a
woman with flowers.

Noun: an unexpected
thing or feeling of mild
shock
The flowers were a
surprise.

Attraction
Noun: 1. a feeling of
(romantic) interest
Romantic love involves
attraction.

2. something
interesting that people
want to see
The Great Wall is a
popular attraction in
China.

(be) attracted (to)

Adjective: to like or be
interested in something
They are attracted to
each other.

Engagement
Noun: a formal
agreement to be
married
The couple recently
announced their
engagement.

the duration of time

before the wedding
The couple had a 7
month engagement.

Wedding
Noun: a marriage
ceremony
During their
engagement, they
planned a beautiful
wedding.

Bride
Noun: a woman on her
wedding day
Brides often look in
bridal magazines for
advice about planning a
wedding.

Groom
Noun: a man on his
wedding day
The groom looks very
handsome.

Tradition
Noun: long-established
custom
There are many
wedding traditions.

Traditional
Adjective:
1. long-established
2. based on old-fashioned
ideas
In traditional Chinese
culture, marriage
decisions were made by
parents for their
children.

Arranged Marriage
Noun: a type of marriage
in which a husband and
wife are chosen for each
other by their parents

American's cant believe

that an arranged
marriage could be happy,
but I have seen my
parents with my own
eyes.

Polygamy
Noun: the state of
being married to more
than one person at the
same time
The groups first leader,
believed in polygamy.
Some people still
practice polygamy.

Pregnant
Adjective: having a
baby or babies
developing inside the
body
The woman is pregnant.

Produce
Verb: to make or create
something
The husband and wife
hope that their marriage
will produce healthy
children.

Noun: fresh fruits and

vegetables

Fertile
Adjective: 1. able to
reproduce 2. able to
support the growth of
many plants

In the traditional Hopi

and old Bavarian cultures,
it was important for
women to be fertile.
The area along the river is
very fertile.

Infertile
Adjective: not fertile;
not able to reproduce
A woman who is
infertile cannot get
pregnant.
The fields are infertile.

Raise
Verb: 1. to bring up a
child
The mother and father
raised their children

2. to life or move to a
higher position
Raise your hand if you
have a question.

Support
Synonyms: sustain, uphold,
encourage
Verb: to give help or
assistance; to hold up
Parents support their kids.
The charity supports needy
kids.
The walls support the
building.

Proud
Adjective: very happy and
pleased (as a result of
achievements, qualities,
possessions etc.)
They are proud of the
children that their
marriage has produced.

Break up
Verb: to end a romantic
relationship
I am breaking up with
you.
We broke up.

Noun: (breakup) the

end of a relationship
I just went through a bad
breakup

Divorce
Noun: the ending of a
marriage by a legal
process
Their marriage ended in
divorce.
They filed for a divorce.

Verb: legally end a

marriage
My parents are divorced.
(used as an adjective)
They divorced 8 years ago.

Brokenhearted
Adjective: filled with
great sadness especially
because someone you
love has left you, has
died, etc
The women is
brokenhearted.

Leadership
Noun: the act or
position of being a
leader

In traditional Chinese
society, sons were
important because they
would take positions of
leadership in the family.

Follower
Noun: someone who is
guided by another
person