sposata

Sposata is an Italian adjective and, less commonly, a noun form that denotes a married woman. It is the feminine form of sposato, with the corresponding masculine form sposato and the plural forms sposati (masculine) and sposate (feminine). The word describes marital status and is used in phrases such as una donna sposata, meaning a married woman.

Etymology and related terms: Sposare means to marry, and the noun form sposato refers to a person who is married. The term ultimately derives from Latin sponsus or sponsare, related to espousing or promising in marriage. In Italian, nubile is the traditional counterpart for an unmarried woman, while celibe refers to a bachelor. The male counterpart for a married man is sposato, and for a married couple in general, one might also encounter la coppia sposata.

Usage and context: Sposata is common in everyday Italian when stating someone’s marital status, in formal or legal contexts, and in descriptive prose. It appears in civil documents or forms that indicate status (for example, stato civile: sposata). While it can function as part of a longer noun phrase like la donna sposa or la moglie, it is not frequently used as a stand-alone noun in ordinary speech.

Cultural notes: Modern Italian usage continues to recognize sposata as a clear indicator of traditional marital status, though discussions of family structure and civil unions have introduced more neutral or inclusive terminology in some contexts. See also: sposarsi, sposa, sposo, nubile, celibe.