# wed

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈwɛd/ · frequency rank #11,997

## Definitions
1. To perform the marriage ceremony for; to join in matrimony.
2. To take as one's spouse.
3. To take a spouse.
4. To take each other as a spouse.
5. To join or commit to, more or less permanently, as if in marriage.
6. To take to oneself and support; to espouse.
7. To wager, stake, bet, place a bet, make a wager.

## Etymology
From Middle English wedden, weddien, from Old English weddian (“to pledge; wed”), from Proto-West Germanic *waddjōn, from Proto-Germanic *wadjōną (“to pledge”), from *wadją (“pledge”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“to pledge”).
Cognate with Scots wed, wod, wad (“to wed”), Saterland Frisian wädje (“to bet, wager”), West Frisian wedzje (“to bet, wager”), Low German and Dutch wedden (“to bet”), German wetten (“to bet”), Danish vædde (“to bet”), Swedish vädja (“to appeal”), Icelandic veðja (“to bet”); more distantly, to Sanskrit वधू (vadhū́, “bride”). Related also to gage, engage, and wage.

## Easily confused with
- **wi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wi)
- **Wu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wu)
- **wo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wo)
- **wt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wt)
- **WS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-ws)
- **WV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wv)
- **WL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wl)
- **wy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wy)
- **WF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wf)
- **who** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-who)
- **why** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-why)
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-win)
- **won** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-won)
- **wow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wow)
- **wet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wet)
- **WTF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wtf)
- **WWE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wwe)
- **wit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wit)
- **wee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-wee)
- **woo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wed-vs-woo)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wed