pronuba

Words of consent were exchanged between the betrothed couple, and the marriage was sealed when a married female guest, or pronuba, took the right hands of the bride and groom and joined them together.

Caesars’ Wives Annelise Freisenbruch 2010

Then Appuleia, acting as pronuba, flung a huge veil over both of them.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

Then Appuleia, acting as pronuba, flung a huge veil over both of them.

Antony and Cleopatra Colleen McCullough 2007

If this is satisfactory the youthful pair declare their consent to the union and join their right hands as directed by a pronuba, i.e. a married woman, who acts as a kind of priestess.

Social life at Rome in the Age of Cicero W. Warde Fowler 1884

"But Pomponia will do as she likes," answered Lygia, blushing still more deeply at mention of the pronuba.

Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero Henryk Sienkiewicz 1881

The pronuba [The matron who accompanies the bride and explains to her the duties of a wife] usually brings them behind the bride, but do this for me.

Quo Vadis: a narrative of the time of Nero Henryk Sienkiewicz 1881

Roman marriages on which Juno appears as _pronuba_, a figure of her standing behind the spouses as protectress or patroness.

Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals William Graham Sumner 1875

Joanna Cutting communis pronuba at præsertim inter presbyteros fratres monachos et canonicos et etiam inter Thomam Peise et quandam Agnetam, etc.

The Reign of Henry the Eighth, Volume 1 (of 3) James Anthony Froude 1856

[199] Thomas Cowper et ejus uxor Margarita pronubæ horribiles, et instigant mulieres ad fornicandum cum quibuscunque laicis, religiosis, fratribus minoribus, et nisi fornicant in domo suâ ipsi diffamabunt nisi voluerint dare eis ad voluntatem eorum; et vir est pronuba uxori, et vult relinquere eam apud fratres minores pro peccatis habendis.

The Reign of Henry the Eighth, Volume 1 (of 3) James Anthony Froude 1856

Mr. Weir describes the pursuit of a red-underwing, Triphoena pronuba, by a robin which was attracted by the bright colour of the moth, and constantly missed the insect by breaking pieces off the wing instead of seizing the body.

More Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 2 Charles Darwin 1845