"bridal song," 1590s (earlier in nativized form epithalamy, 1580s), from Latin epithalamium, from Greek epithalamion "a bridal song," noun use of adjective meaning "of or for a bridal, nuptial," from epi "at, upon" (see epi-) + thalamos "bridal chamber, inner chamber" (see thalamus). Related: Epithalamic.