bigamy
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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Origin of bigamy
1Words that may be confused with bigamy
Words Nearby bigamy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTBut, according to Florida law, that would qualify as bigamy.
The Gay Divorce Trap: When Same-Sex Marriage Goes Wrong | Lizzie Crocker | September 30, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAlready, seven FLDS men have been convicted of either bigamy, arranging child-bride marriages or sex assault of a child.
The LDS renounced polygamy long ago in response to bigamy laws, and doesn't recognize any splinter groups that practice polygamy.
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 GrileMrs. 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 FryNow Lizzie had convicted her second husband of bigamy, and had freed herself after that fashion.
The Prime Minister | Anthony TrollopeThe Squire was an unlifelike story of a case of bigamy, annulled by an unexpected death.
The English Stage | Augustin FilonThere'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
/ (ˈbɪɡəmɪ) /
the crime of marrying a person while one is still legally married to someone else
Origin of bigamy
1Derived forms of bigamy
- bigamist, noun
- bigamous, adjective
- bigamously, adverb
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
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