Boston marriage

American  

noun

1. (especially in 19th-century New England) an intimate friendship between two women often maintaining a household together.

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Example Sentences

“Boston must continue to work to dismantle the historic inequities and injustices that persist. This update to Boston marriage licenses is a huge step in building a city that is truly inclusive,” she added.

From Seattle Times

Rochester and Hutchins had what historians now would refer to as a Boston marriage, a term that derives from Henry James’s “The Bostonians” — they were women from affluent backgrounds who lived together in very close, loving relationships.

From New York Times

In David Mamet’s comedy “Boston Marriage,” the character Claire says: “Yes, this shall be our party. And we must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”

From New York Times

Katharine settled in Northampton, Mass., with a left-wing Jewish academic, in what appears to have been a closeted lesbian relationship, or what was termed a “Boston marriage.”

From New York Times

The actresses appeared together in Mamet's "Boston Marriage" at the American Repertory Theatre in Massachusetts in 1999.

From Los Angeles Times