civil union
Americannoun
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a relationship between a couple that is legally recognized by a governmental authority and has many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
civil unions for same-sex couples.
Etymology
Origin of civil union
First frecorded in 1835–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Francis repeated that the Catholic Church cannot permit sacramental marriage of same-sex couples but that he supported so-called civil union legislation giving same-sex couples legal protection in issues such as pensions, inheritance and health care.
From Reuters • Feb. 5, 2023
Ms. Heche and DeGeneres announced plans in 1999 for a civil union in Vermont if the state legalized the partnership, but they ended their relationship the next year.
From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2022
The high-profile couple said they would get a civil union if it became available in Vermont, but they split up three years later.
From BBC • Aug. 12, 2022
Engineer Javier Silva and dentist Jaime Nazar have been together for seven years and had previously legalized their status as a couple under a civil union agreement.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2022
Is marriage, then, merely a civil union formed under the eyes of the church-police?
From A Twofold Life by Hillern, Wilhelmine von
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
