marry

¹

[mar-ee, mer-ee]

verb (used with object)

married, marrying 

1. to take in marriage.

   After being together for five years, I finally asked her to marry me.

2. to perform the marriage ceremonies for (two people); join in wedlock.

   The minister married Susan and Ed.

3. to give in marriage; arrange the marriage of (often followed byoff ): They want to marry off all their children before selling their big home.

   Her father wants to marry her to his friend's son.

   They want to marry off all their children before selling their big home.

4. to unite intimately.

   Common economic interests marry the two countries.

5. to take as an intimate life partner by a formal exchange of promises in the manner of a traditional marriage ceremony.

6. to combine, connect, or join so as to make more efficient, attractive, or profitable: A recent merger marries two of the nation's largest corporations.

   The latest cameras marry automatic and manual features.

   A recent merger marries two of the nation's largest corporations.

7. Nautical.

   1. to lay together (the unlaid strands of two ropes) to be spliced.

   2. to seize (two ropes) together end to end for use as a single line.

   3. to seize (parallel ropes) together at intervals.

8. to cause (food, liquor, etc.) to blend with other ingredients.

   to marry malt whiskey with grain whiskey.

verb (used without object)

married, marrying 

1. to wed.

2. (of two or more foods, wines, etc.) to combine suitably or agreeably; blend.

   This wine and the strong cheese just don't marry.

marry

²

[mar-ee]

interjection

Archaic.

1. (used as an exclamation of surprise, astonishment, etc.)

marry

¹

/ ˈmærɪ /

verb

1. to take (someone as one's partner) in marriage

2. (tr) to join or give in marriage

3. (tr) to acquire (something) by marriage

   marry money

4. to unite closely or intimately

5. to fit together or align (two things); join

6. (tr) nautical

   1. to match up (the strands) of unlaid ropes before splicing

   2. to seize (two ropes) together at intervals along their lengths

marry

²

/ ˈmærɪ /

interjection

1. archaic,  an exclamation of surprise, anger, etc

Pronunciation Note

See Mary.

Other Word Forms

• marrier noun
• nonmarrying adjective
• unmarrying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of marry¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English marien, from Old French marier, from Latin marītāre “to wed,” derivative of marītus “conjugal,” akin to mās “male (person)”

Origin of marry²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English Mari(e), marie, mare , euphemistic variant of Mary (the Virgin)

Word History and Origins

Origin of marry¹

C13: from Old French marier, from Latin marītāre, from marītus married (man), perhaps from mās male

Origin of marry²

C14: euphemistic for the Virgin Mary

Example Sentences

All begins sunnily, however, in the year 1899, when Evelyn, a self-confessed hack writer of travel books, with one failed novel to his name, marries an American heiress.

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For married couples who file jointly, it is $32,200, up from $31,500.

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"We knew it our hearts that the absolute had to be that Smithy and Nessa finally got together. Got married."

Read more on BBC

The IRS announced inflation adjustments for 2026 tax brackets, increasing the standard deduction to $16,100 for individuals and $32,200 for married couples.

Read more on Barron's

Money-management and communication problems are two of the easiest rabbit holes to fall into as a married couple, especially two people who are under a lot of stress raising kids and holding down jobs.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• join 
• wed