Banns of Marriage
Preserved but no longer current.
The publication in the parish church for three successive Sundays of an intended marriage. It is made after the Second Lesson of the Morning Service. To announce the intention is called "Publishing the banns," from the words "I publish the banns of marriage between . . ." The word is from the same root as BAN fa.v.).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Banns of Marriage” mean?
The publication in the parish church for three successive Sundays of an intended marriage. It is made after the Second Lesson of the Morning Service. To announce the intention is called "Publishing the banns," from the words "I publish the banns of marriage between . . ." The word is from the same root as BAN fa.v.).
Is “Banns of Marriage” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.