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fornication
[ fawr-ni-key-shuhn ]
/ ˌfɔr nɪˈkeɪ ʃən /
See the most commonly confused word associated with adultery
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noun
voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other.
Bible. idolatry.
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Origin of fornication
1300–50; Middle English fornicacioun<Late Latin fornicātiōn- (stem of fornicātiō). See fornicate1, -ion
OTHER WORDS FROM fornication
for·ni·ca·to·ry [fawr-ni-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ˈfɔr nɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fornication
formication, fornicationWords nearby fornication
formyl group, Fornax, fornenst, Forney, fornicate, fornication, fornicatrix, forniciform, fornix, for one, for one's money
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use fornication in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for fornication
fornication
/ (ˌfɔːnɪˈkeɪʃən) /
noun
voluntary sexual intercourse outside marriage
law voluntary sexual intercourse between two persons of the opposite sex, where one is or both are unmarried
Bible sexual immorality in general, esp adultery
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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