marriageable

Of an age suitable for marriage, especially used to refer to a woman at the beginning of her childbearing years; nubile.

For most of recorded history in Asia, Africa, and Europe, men could be considered marriageable at 14 years and women at 12 years, although usually both parties had to be physically mature enough to consummate the marriage.

The bride is usually between 12-25 years of age, traditionally; depending on where and when the setting is, a bride 18 years of age can be seen as too young, too old, or perfectly marriageable; Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans and Ancient Hebrews, like much of Africa and South Asia today, wanted to marry their daughters off before she gave into physical temptation and had sex before she was married. Vikings, on the other hand, preferred a bride closer to age 20, in full bloom.
The groom, on the other hand, can be any age from a few years younger than the bride to roughly her age to at least a decade older than her.

Until recently, the quinceañera and sweet sixteen parties marked a young woman's entry into adulthood and marriageable age; now that so few women are married that early, both have lost some meaning and degenerated into excess.

by Lorelili November 30, 2013

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