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I came across the word 'benedict' recently:

Benedict: A name for a newly married man, esp if formerly a confirmed bachelor

Is there an equivalent feminine noun for a newly married woman? 'Bride' won't do, as we need to refer to woman after the marriage.

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    I'd say there isn't one. Newlywed is a nice word, though not gender-specific.
    – Daniel
    Commented Mar 29, 2012 at 16:47
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    Is that what that menas? I thought it just meant 'blessed', literally 'spoken well of'. Where did you get that meaning?
    – Mitch
    Commented Mar 29, 2012 at 17:18
  • I suggest coining a new term — benedicta.
    – H Hatfield
    Commented Mar 29, 2012 at 17:21
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    I think I can confidantly say that while you might find this word in a dictionary, if you try to use it in speech or writing, absolutely no one will know what you're talking about.
    – Jay
    Commented Mar 29, 2012 at 19:38
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    In the US if you call someone a benedict, they may take it as a reference to Benedict Arnold, and not to Benedick in Shakespeare.
    – GEdgar
    Commented Mar 29, 2012 at 21:30

2 Answers 2

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Given the etymology of this sense of the word 'benedict', I would not expect to find any true feminine forms (other than neologisms).

From the OED:

1.B.1 A newly married man; esp. an apparently confirmed bachelor who marries. [From the character of that name in Shakes. Much Ado about Nothing.]

   [1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. iv. 100 How dost thou Benedicke the married man?]    1821 Scott in Lockhart (1839) VI. 313 Wish the veteran joy of his entrance into the band of Benedicts.    1843 Life in West (L.) He is no longer a benedick, but a quiet married man.

Your initial choice is actually probably your best bet. 'Bride' can refer to a recently married woman and this sense has been in use since at least 1000 CE. From the OED for 'bride':

1.a A woman at her marriage; a woman just about to be married or very recently married.

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I think there's no one single word for this idea, as there is for a man. However, while looking up the thesaurus, an option came up, that is: "newly married woman".

That seems to be the clearest to me. I know it's not as catchy, and it's not a single word, but its meaning is quite clear.

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