banns
Pronunciation: (banz), [key]
— n. (used with a pl. v.) Eccles.
- notice of an intended marriage, given three times in the parish church of each of the betrothed.
- any public announcement of a proposed marriage, either verbal or written and made in a church or by church officials.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.