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Wedlock: Locked in Marriage?

© Judy Thomas

In the United States, February is known as the month for lovers. Saint Valentine lends his name to February 14, a day set aside for honoring the one you love best. During the remainder of the month, The History of Words will examine words having to do with love and marriage.

"Wedlock" is defined quite simply in the dictionary as "the state of being married." "Wedlock and padlock mean the same thing," Lord Byron is attributed as having said. At first glance it may appear that wedlock does actually mean, locked into being wed. As the history of the word is examined, however, it becomes evident that this play on words rests on the mistaken notion that "lock" in both words comes from the same background. "Lock," a device for providing restraint, comes from the Old English, loc. The "lock" in wedlock actually is a derivative of the Old English lak, meaning a gift or activity. The Old English weddian is a pledge, so weddian + lak, wedlak, signifies a gift given at the time of pledge giving, thus sealing the engagement, much the way that the engagement ring does today.

This word made its way early into the language, being seen as early as 1493, in Leland: Dives and Pauper: "The rynge betokenethe true love; the broch clennesse in herte and chastitye; the garlond ... gladness and the dignity of the sacrement of wedlock."

Sources utilized: Cambridge Dictionary of American English, Cambridge International Dictionary of English, Brewer: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, and A Word With You website http://www.wordwithyou.com

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