noun
bigamy
BIG-uh-mee/ˈbɪɡəmi/
The practice of being married to two people at the same time.
The man holds two wedding portraits that hint at his bigamy.
Etymology
“Double” and “marriage” express being twice married. Earlier English could also apply the word to successive marriages; the selected sense concerns two marriages existing at the same time.
In context
any person who participates in a marriage while also being married to someone else is guilty of a crime called bigamy
More examples
- Marrying again before a divorce is final can result in bigamy.
- She discovers her husband's bigamy when his other spouse calls.
- The court hears evidence of bigamy during the trial.
Forms
bigamy
bigamist noun — A person married to two people simultaneously.
bigamous adjective — Involving marriage to two people at once.
Similar words
- polygamy
- Includes marriage to multiple spouses, not necessarily exactly two.