kiddushin means an engagement (promise to marry) between a man and a woman, made by themselves or by relatives. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.
Why this word is great
KIDDUSHIN — [Noun] A formal betrothal ceremony in Jewish law that establishes the first, binding stage of the marital bond. Its name descends from the Jewish Babylonian Aramaic קִידּוּשִׁין (qiddūshīn, literally “sanctifications”), plural of קִידּוּשׁ (qiddūsh, “sanctification”), from the root ק-ד-ש (q-d-š) meaning 'holy, set apart.' Unlike *erusin* (which names the resultant legal state) or *nisu'in* (which completes the union under the chuppah), *kiddushin* is the precise, performative moment of designation. It is the cold weight of the plain band in the palm, the absolute stillness of the gathered witnesses, and the irrevocable words "*Harei at mekudeshet li...*" ("Behold, you are sanctified to me...")—a contractual holiness that sets two lives apart, not with a celebration, but with the quiet architecture of a sacred cornerstone.
noun
- An engagement (promise to marry) between a man and a woman, made by themselves or by relatives.“Just as Kiddushin takes place when the groom puts a ring on his bride's finger, so we, too, wind a strap around our finger and are sanctified unto the Holy One, blessed be He.”