bigamy

[ big-uh-mee ]

/ ˈbɪg ə mi /

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See synonyms for bigamy on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural big·a·mies.

Law. the crime of marrying while one has a spouse still living, from whom no valid divorce has been effected.

Ecclesiastical. any violation of canon law concerning marital status that would disqualify a person from receiving holy orders or from retaining or surpassing an ecclesiastical rank.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of bigamy

1200–50; Middle English bigamie<Medieval Latin bigamia (Late Latin bigam(us) bigamous + Latin -ia-y³)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bigamy

bigamy , polyandry, polygamy, polygyny

Words nearby bigamy

bifurcate, big, biga, bigamist, bigamous, bigamy, big and bold, Big Apple, bigarade, bigarreau, big as life

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bigamy in a sentence

But Tuesday it turned out that one congressman may have ties to a far more exotic crime; bigamy.
Congressman Accuses Wife Of Bigamy|Ben Jacobs|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bigamy, or having multiple active marriage licenses, is a third-degree felony in Utah.
Was Rick Santorum Right About Polygamy After All?|Justin Miller|December 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But, according to Florida law, that would qualify as bigamy.
The Gay Divorce Trap: When Same-Sex Marriage Goes Wrong|Lizzie Crocker|September 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Already, seven FLDS men have been convicted of either bigamy, arranging child-bride marriages or sex assault of a child.
Polygamist Courtroom Circus|Carol McKinley|July 29, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The LDS renounced polygamy long ago in response to bigamy laws, and doesn't recognize any splinter groups that practice polygamy.
Sister Wives Season 2: Polygamy's Strange Charm|Joyce C. Tang|March 10, 2011|DAILY BEAST
If she had lived to marry, some mischief—making scoundrel would have procured the indictment of her husband for bigamy.
The Fiend's Delight|Dod Grile
Mrs. Johnson had been arrested on a charge of bigamy at Center, Texas, and was out on bond when she was seized.
The Modern Ku Klux Klan|Henry Peck Fry
Now Lizzie had convicted her second husband of bigamy, and had freed herself after that fashion.
The Prime Minister|Anthony Trollope
The Squire was an unlifelike story of a case of bigamy, annulled by an unexpected death.
The English Stage|Augustin Filon
There's a law against bigamy, I believe; but I'll marry them both, the maid first, the mistress afterward.
A Changed Heart|May Agnes Fleming

British Dictionary definitions for bigamy

bigamy

/ (ˈbɪɡəmɪ) /

noun plural -mies

the crime of marrying a person while one is still legally married to someone else

Derived forms of bigamy

bigamist, nounbigamous, adjectivebigamously, adverb

Word Origin for bigamy

C13: via French from Medieval Latin bigamus; see bi- 1, -gamy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bigamy

COMPARE MEANINGS

Origin of bigamy

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bigamy

Words nearby bigamy

Words related to bigamy

How to use bigamy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bigamy

Derived forms of bigamy

Word Origin for bigamy