bigamy
pronunciation
How to pronounce bigamy in British English:
UK [ˈbɪgəmi]
How to pronounce bigamy in American English:
US [ˈbɪɡəmi]
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- Noun:
- having two spouses at the same time
- the offense of marrying someone while you have a living spouse from whom no valid divorce has occurred
Word Origin
- bigamy (n.)
- "state of having two wives or husbands at the same time," mid-13c., from Old French bigamie (13c.), from Church Latin bigamia, from Late Latin bigamus "twice married," a hybrid from bi- "double" (see bi-) + Greek gamos "marrying" (see gamete). The Greek word was digamos "twice married."Bigamie is unkinde ðing, On engleis tale, twie-wifing. [c. 1250]In Middle English, also of two successive marriages or marrying a widow.
Example
- 1. Her life of crime didn 't end with bigamy .
- 2. Still , jeffs and 11 other flds men were charged with crimes including sexual assault and bigamy .
- 3. Simplified marriage procedures have led to a rise in bigamy .
- 4. Indian law , however , prohibits bigamy and makes divorce a complicated procedure .
- 5. Now he is charged with bigamy and facing up to a year in jail if convicted .