adulterer

American  

[uh-duhl-ter-er] / əˈdʌl tər ər /

noun

1. a person who commits adultery.

---

adulterer British  

/ əˈdʌltərə /

noun

1. a person who has committed adultery

---

Usage

What does adulterer mean? An adulterer is someone who engages in adultery—a consensual sexual relationship or encounter between someone who’s married and a person they’re not married to (who may or may not be married to someone else).Typically, for something to be considered adultery, at least one of the partners must be married. In other words, the adulterers can be two people who are both married to other people, or a married person and a nonmarried person. In any case, the word adulterer can be applied to both people in the adulterous relationship (not just the one who’s married).On the other hand, calling someone unfaithful or saying that they cheated means that they engaged in a (usually sexual) relationship while they or the other person (or both) were in a committed relationship with someone else—not necessarily marriage.When it happens with someone other than one’s spouse, a long-term relationship (often called an affair), a single sexual encounter, or anything in between can be considered to constitute adultery. In some cases, a relationship may even be considered adultery when it’s nonsexual but intimate (this is sometimes called an emotional affair).The word adultery is especially used in a religious context, in which it’s often considered a sin. It’s also sometimes used in a legal context, such as during divorce proceedings. Adultery is a crime in some places (including in some U.S. states, though people aren’t often charged for it).Adultery is associated with a considerable amount of stigma. The word adulterer is always used negatively and implies a critical judgment of such actions.The word adulterer can refer to a person of any gender. The word adulteress, though, specifically refers to a woman who has engaged in adultery. (It has been more common throughout history for women to be blamed—and punished—for adulterous relationships than men.)Example: He’s a serial adulterer who doesn’t even attempt to hide his affairs.

Etymology

Origin of adulterer

1350–1400; earlier adulter adulterer (< Latin, back formation from adulterāre to defile; adulterate ) + -er ¹; replacing Middle English avouter, avoutrer < Old French < Latin

Example Sentences

But, in Ms. Vaill’s telling, he remained an inveterate gambler and adulterer, frequently absent from home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Accusations that Nash was an antisemite, adulterer and homophobe began to appear in reviews, gossip sites and news articles, prompting him to appear on “60 Minutes” to refute the claims.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

Adam Sandler turns in his finest film performance to date as Howard Ratner, an inveterate gambler, serial adulterer and perpetual hustler who owns a jewelry store in the Diamond District of Manhattan.

From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2024

The real crown did not come off especially well in Season 4 of the Netflix series “The Crown,” which portrayed Prince Charles as a self-pitying adulterer and Queen Elizabeth II as out of touch.

From Washington Post • Mar. 5, 2021

There were things about him that I needed to be true, and his being an adulterer was not one of them.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs