marriage
noun
mar·riage ˈmer-ij 
ˈma-rij
1
a
see usage paragraph below : the state of being united as spouses in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law
b
: the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock
c
: the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage
2
: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected
especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities
3
: an intimate or close union
the marriage of painting and poetry
J. T. Shawcross
J. T. Shawcross
Synonyms
- conjugality
- connubiality
- match
- matrimony
- wedlock
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
It was his second marriage. They have a very happy marriage. She has old-fashioned ideas about marriage. couples living together before marriage Many friends and relatives were present at their marriage. a priest who has performed many marriages a marriage of sweet and spicy flavors a marriage of science and art a marriage between form and function See More
Recent Examples on the Web A few hours later, a taxi dropped us at the Las Vegas Office of Civil Marriages. Noel Anenberg, WSJ, 10 Apr. 2017 For centuries, the island was the traditional meeting place to hand off brides and grooms when important royal marriages were arranged between France and Spain. Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2017 His marriages to Carol Thompson and Judith Sherman ended in divorce. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2017 Greco is survived by Anders and seven children from previous marriages. Nardine Saad, latimes.com, 12 Jan. 2017 Online court records from Polk County, Florida, show that Hundley had several previous marriages that ended in divorce. Emily Foxhall, Houston Chronicle, 30 Dec. 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor, the jet-setting Hungarian actress and socialite who helped invent a new kind of fame out of multiple marriages, conspicuous wealth and jaded wisdom about the glamorous life, died Sunday at her home, her husband said. Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 18 Dec. 2016 There are no children from any of the marriages, although his third wife had a son, and my grandson helped support the child. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2016 Still, early marriages and poverty are two of the biggest reasons more than 130 million girls are out of school globally. Beth Murphy, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2016 See More
Noel Anenberg, WSJ, 10 Apr. 2017 For centuries, the island was the traditional meeting place to hand off brides and grooms when important royal marriages were arranged between France and Spain. Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2017 His marriages to Carol Thompson and Judith Sherman ended in divorce. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2017 Greco is survived by Anders and seven children from previous marriages. Nardine Saad, latimes.com, 12 Jan. 2017 Online court records from Polk County, Florida, show that Hundley had several previous marriages that ended in divorce. Emily Foxhall, Houston Chronicle, 30 Dec. 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor, the jet-setting Hungarian actress and socialite who helped invent a new kind of fame out of multiple marriages, conspicuous wealth and jaded wisdom about the glamorous life, died Sunday at her home, her husband said. Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 18 Dec. 2016 There are no children from any of the marriages, although his third wife had a son, and my grandson helped support the child. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2016 Still, early marriages and poverty are two of the biggest reasons more than 130 million girls are out of school globally. Beth Murphy, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2016 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English mariage, from Anglo-French, from marier to marry
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing marriage
Kids Definition
marriage
noun
mar·riage ˈmer-ij
1
: the state of being united in a legal relationship as spouses
2
: the act of getting married
Legal Definition
marriage
noun
mar·riage ˈmar-ij
1
: the state of being united to a person as spouse in a legal, consensual, and contractual relationship recognized and sanctioned by and dissolvable only by law see also divorce,Obergefell v. Hodges compare civil union
2
: the ceremony containing certain legal formalities by which a marriage relationship is created
marriages
noun
1
as in relationships
a union representing a special kind of social and legal partnership between two people some religions consider marriage a sacrament Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- relationships
- matches
- matrimonies
- remarriages
- wedlocks
- intermarriages
- cohabitations
- conjugalities
- connubialities
- engagements
- commitments
- betrothals
- mixed marriages
- monogamies
- bigamies
- proposals
- polygamies
- miscegenations
- promises
- civil unions
- hands
- attachments
- espousals
- domestic partnerships
- polyandries
- polygynies
- pledges
- common-law marriages
- troths
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- divorces
- separations
- annulments
2
as in weddings
a ceremony in which two people are united in matrimony just a small group of family and friends have been invited to witness the marriage Synonyms & Similar Words
- weddings
- nuptials
- espousals
- bridals
- unions
- matches
- matrimonies
- wedlocks