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.

---

extramarital British  

/ ˌɛkstrəˈmærɪtəl /

adjective

1. (esp of sexual relations) occurring outside marriage

---

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

While Juan Carlos acknowledges personal missteps, including financial scandals and extramarital affairs, critics say the memoir is largely an effort at image rehabilitation.

From Barron's • Nov. 8, 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

In 2023, the government was rocked by a separate corruption probe into the properties of two other ministers, which eventually cleared them of wrongdoing, as well as two lawmakers' resignation over an extramarital affair.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2024

The writing is punctuated by testy asides and innuendos about Villanueva foes, whom the report accuses of everything from extramarital affairs to ethical violations to new crimes.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 20, 2024

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