bigamy
7
8.9
- noun
- /ˈbɪɡəmi/
:
bigamia
- He was sentenced to six months in jail for committing bigamy by marrying another woman while still married to his first wife.
- bigamy and polygamy
- adultery and bigamy
- laws against bigamy
Some people say he died but she couldn't legally marry Ben Franklin because of bigamy laws.
- Some people say he died but she couldn't legally marry Ben Franklin because of bigamy laws.
Examples
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The judge said it was a clear-cut case of bigamy.
Fiction book (1992) -
Such was the extent of the upheaval that even this precaution did not prevent cases of bigamy.
Academic text (1993) -
The cops are holding him on a bigamy charge.
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However, we'll hold you for bigamy until we do.
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- Bigamy is a criminal offense.
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You wouldn't want me up on a bigamy charge, would you?
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A charge of bigamy is a lot more serious than just er... biting a policeman.
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Two years later, after joining the navy, he probably committed bigamy by marrying his landlady in Plymouth.
Academic text (2002) -
But don't get married before you get your decree, or it's bigamy.
Fiction book (1997) -
The Browns argue that Utah's bigamy law should be overturned because it violates their right to privacy.
Blog text (20)
Synonyms
28
7.2
A marriage in which a person has more than one husband or wife at the same time
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
bigamy = gamy (semi-transparent) = bi + gamy
The prefix 'bi-' clearly means 'two', but '-gamy' is a non-standalone combining form for 'marriage' that many learners may not recognise without knowledge of related words.
Etymology
Bigamy comes from Greek parts bi- ('two') and gamos or -gamy ('marriage'), the same idea you see in monogamy ('one marriage') and polygamy ('many marriages'). So bigamy literally means 'two marriages', which is why it names the crime of marrying someone while you are already married.