fiance
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /fɪˈɒnseɪ/
US
- /ˌfiˌɑnˈseɪ/
- /fiˈɑnˌseɪ/
Description
- Future husband
- Engaged man
- Person you will marry
- Promised partner
Imagine the moment when a couple shares happy news: they are going to get married. In that moment, the man is called a fiancé, and the woman is called a fiancée. It means the relationship has moved beyond dating into a clear promise of marriage. People often use the word when talking about wedding plans, family introductions, or the life they are getting ready to build together. It carries a feeling of joy, hope, and serious commitment, like stepping into a new chapter where love now has a name for the future.
The word fiancé refers to a man who is engaged to be married. The matching word for a woman is fiancée. In everyday English, these words name the person someone plans to marry, not just a boyfriend or girlfriend. They usually suggest that the couple has made a clear commitment and has openly shared that plan with other people, even if the wedding date is still far away.
The word comes from French and is related to the idea of a promise. That history fits its meaning well, because an engagement is more than simple romance. It is a promise about the future. In many situations, you will see or hear these words in wedding announcements, conversations with friends and family, social media posts, or introductions such as, "This is my fiancé." The term often brings a slightly formal or romantic tone, which is why some people prefer it over simply saying "partner" or "engaged."
There is also a spelling detail that matters in writing. Fiancé is the form for a man, and fiancée is the form for a woman. In speech, many English speakers pronounce them the same way, so the difference is easier to see on the page than to hear in conversation. Sometimes English speakers also write the word without the accent, especially in casual writing, but the accented forms are still the standard spellings. Overall, the word points to a hopeful stage between present love and married life, a time filled with plans, expectation, and the sense that something important is about to begin.
Examples
- 1
Social introduction
She introduced Mark as her fiance at the office party.
- 2
Wedding plans
My fiance and I are trying to keep the wedding small.
- 3
Life plans
He moved to Seattle after his fiance got a job there.
- 4
Former relationship
Even after the breakup, she still had photos of her former fiance.
Phrase
former fiance
the person she was going to marry before the relationship ended
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- fiancenoun