adulterous
Americanadjective
adjective
-
of, characterized by, or inclined to adultery
-
an obsolete word for adulterate
Usage
What does adulterous mean? Adulterous is used to describe a person who engages in or a relationship that constitutes 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). In other words, adultery can be between two people who are both married to other people, or between a married person and a nonmarried person. Typically, for something to be considered adulterous, at least one of the partners must be married. On the other hand, similar words like cheating, infidelity, and unfaithfulness can be used regardless of whether either person is married—they simply refer to a (usually sexual) relationship or encounter between people when one or both of them is in a committed relationship with someone else. 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 adulterous. In some cases, a relationship may even be considered adulterous when it’s nonsexual but intimate (this is sometimes called an emotional affair). The words adultery and adulterous are especially used in a religious context, in which adultery is often considered a sin. The word adultery is also sometimes used in a legal context, such as during divorce proceedings. Adultery is associated with a considerable amount of stigma. The word adulterous is always used negatively and implies a critical judgment of such actions. Someone who participates in adultery can be called an adulterer. The word adulteress specifically refers to a woman who has engaged in adultery. (It has been more common throughout history for women to be called adulterous and to be blamed and punished for adulterous relationships than men.)Example: Just because it only happened once doesn’t mean it wasn’t adulterous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of adulterous
First recorded in 1400–50; adulter(y) + -ous; replacing late Middle English avoutrious, advouterose
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.
After the burning, few copies remained of the Wicked Bible, which has also been called the Adulterous Bible or the Sinner’s Bible.
From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2011
Adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love, as the natural man viewed in himself is opposed to the spiritual man.
From The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love by Swedenborg, Emanuel
Adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love, as the connubial connection of what is evil and false is opposed to the marriage of good and truth.
From The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love by Swedenborg, Emanuel
"Adulterous father, bastard son—publican sheltering youthful offenders from healthy punishment in the interests of personal gain."—Of that last she made nothing, failed to follow it.
From Deadham Hard by Malet, Lucas
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.
