The old saying sure is true: You learn something new every day. And today I just learned that I’m a fiancé and Jen is my fiancée. I had no idea there was even a difference. But sure enough, according to the ol’ Merriam-Webster, it’s true:
-
Main Entry: fi·an·cé
Pronunciation: “fE-“än-‘sA, fE-‘än-”
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from past participle of fiancer to promise, betroth, from Old French fiancier, from fiance promise, trust, from fier to trust, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin fidare, alteration of Latin fidere — more at BIDE
Date: 1864
: a man engaged to be married
-
Main Entry: fi·an·cée
Pronunciation: “fE-“än-‘sA, fE-‘än-”
Function: noun
Etymology: French, feminine of fiancé
Date: 1853
: a woman engaged to be married
So I promptly updated the main page of my new Web site to reflect Jen’s appropriate status.
