serial monogamy
1
7.3
- noun
- /ˈsɪəriəl məˈnɑɡəmi/
:
monogamia serial
- Many people in today’s society engage in serial monogamy, forming several exclusive relationships one after another.
Examples
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I think that both happened, but serial monogamy was more common.
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We practice serial monogamy in the US now; that's just the fact, and she probably prefers to keep from making a lifelong commitment when she knows it's likely not to be "lifelong."
Blog text (17) -
He realized that his pattern of serial monogamy was preventing him from establishing deep connections.
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After her third marriage, she decided to take a break from serial monogamy and focus on herself.
Antonyms
- NSFW
3
7.9
Being in romantic or sexual relationships with more than one person at the same time with everyone's agreement
How Promiscuous
- Slur
- NSFW
1
7.3
38
4.3
1
8.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'engaging in a succession of monogamous relationships' is directly derivable from combining 'serial' (consecutive, in sequence) with 'monogamy' (exclusive single-partner relationships). This is a regular compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Serial monogamy comes from two simple ideas: serial meaning things in a row and monogamy meaning being with 'one partner' at a time. The picture of moving from one steady relationship to the next explains why the phrase means having a series of one-at-a-time committed relationships.