Marry and Exchange Rings
Loading the census…
Tap any rung for its meaning.
Two stepping stones: the P (rung 1, for parry) and the T (rung 2, for party) — each borrowed to keep a rung a real word, then given back before the end. There may be several par routes — the census above shows which ones climbers actually took.
To become someone's husband or wife.
From Old French 'marier', which came from Latin 'maritare', meaning to wed. The Latin root 'maritus' meant a husband. The word has kept its core meaning essentially unchanged through its long journey into English.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗A circular band worn on a finger or used as a shape.
Old English 'hring,' meaning a circular band or loop. It comes from a Germanic root shared by German 'Ring' and Dutch 'ring.' The word has always referred to circular shapes and has been in English since its earliest records.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗Definitions give each word’s most common meaning — the full entries live at Wiktionary.