spouse: [12] A spouse is etymologically someone who has made a ‘promise’ to another – in this case, of marriage. The word comes via Old French spous, spouse from Latin spōnsus ‘bridegroom’ and spōnsa ‘bride’, noun uses of the past participle of spondēre ‘promise solemnly, betroth’ (source of English despondent and sponsor). => sponsor[spouse etymology, spouse origin, 英语词源]