matrimonial
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of matrimonial
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Late Latin word mātrimōniālis. See matrimony, -al 1
Explanation
Anything matrimonial has something to do with marriage or married people. A formal way to say "wedding," for example, would be "matrimonial event." Marriage is a matrimonial agreement or bond, and the house a newly wed couple moves into can be called a matrimonial home. Matrimonial law governs the rules of marriage — like the license that declares two people legally married, or the age a person must be, legally, to get married. Originally, matrimonial was a noun meaning "a marriage," and then "a classified ad posted by someone seeking a spouse."
Vocabulary lists containing matrimonial
Bud, Not Buddy
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Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 4
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Novel Study: The Namesake, Chapters 1–4
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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.
Matrimonial law in the U.S. and U.K. is not an apples-to-apples comparison, but in England and Wales, payouts from civil lawsuits are not necessarily considered separate property unless they were received before the marriage.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026
Brent Cashatt, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, told the newspaper that he’s curious to see how judges screen for animal welfare in court.
From Washington Times • Dec. 14, 2022
An amendment to the Matrimonial Property Act in 1988 allowed black couples to change the status of their marriage to "in community" - giving equal property rights to women.
From BBC • Aug. 28, 2021
“It’s possible the agreement provided for some cash transfer,” said Peter Walzer, founding partner of law firm Walzer Melcher and a past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 11, 2020
Howard's History of Matrimonial Institutions is a scholarly and comprehensive treatise upon the evolution of the legal status of the family.
From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra
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.
