in-law
Americannoun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of in-law
First recorded in 1890–95; back formation from mother-in-law, brother-in-law, etc.
Explanation
An in-law is someone who is a relative because of marriage, like your husband's sister or your wife's father. You can refer to your spouse's entire family as your in-laws. In some countries, a married woman moves in with her in-laws, symbolically becoming part of their family. In the U.S. some families live with extended family members — a man may live with his wife, kids, and his mother- and father-in-law — but more often each individual nuclear family lives separately. In-law originally meant "anyone of a relationship not natural" or "not by blood."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But an in-law having Beckham in her surname means that David and Victoria no longer have full control of how the name is used.
From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026
The film was an instant comic classic, taking in-law anxiety to new heights.
From Salon • Jan. 4, 2026
There’s also a lower-level lounge, media room, wine cellar, an in-law suite, and a home gym.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025
The presence of the surly uncle, insufferable in-law, or grating girlfriend at the holiday table can make it hard to truly count one’s blessings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Other aunts, mothers- in-law, and cousins disappeared; some suddenly began writing to us again from communes or from Hong Kong.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
