extramarital

American  

[ek-struh-mar-i-tl] / ˌɛk strəˈmær ɪ tl /

adjective

1. pertaining to sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse.

   extramarital affairs.

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extramarital British  

/ ˌɛkstrəˈmærɪtəl /

adjective

1. (esp of sexual relations) occurring outside marriage

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Etymology

Origin of extramarital

First recorded in 1925–30; extra- + marital

Explanation

The word extramarital describes relationships that happen outside of a marriage, between two people who aren't married to each other. An extramarital affair can damage a marriage. The adjective extramarital is almost always used to describe a romantic relationship or encounter that happens between a married person and someone who is not the person's spouse. If a married man sneaks off to meet his secret girlfriend, you can say that the man is having an extramarital affair. In this case, the Latin prefix extra means "outside," and marital comes from the Latin maritalis, "of marriage or married people."

Example Sentences

The former monarch, 87, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates since 2020 after a series of extramarital and financial scandals tarnished his reputation.

From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025

For instance, Abraham Lincoln’s entry details his controversial suspension of habeas corpus, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s page covers both his graduate school plagiarism and his extramarital affairs.

From Slate • Sep. 17, 2025

It then provided it with access to emails implying that it would soon be taken offline and replaced - and separate messages implying the engineer responsible for removing it was having an extramarital affair.

From BBC • May 23, 2025

Although Fox News executives were aware Henry was having extramarital affairs, the company had not received any harassment complaints against him before Eckhart filed one on June 25, 2020, shortly after she was fired.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025

Women who claim their husbands are not doing their share of their housework or who want to put a stop to an extramarital affair bring the matter before a judge.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García