Advertisement

Advertisement

mésalliance

[ mey-zuh-lahy-uhns, mey-zal-ee-uhns; French mey-zal-yahns ]

noun

, plural mé·sal·li·anc·es [mey-z, uh, -, lahy, -, uh, n-siz, mey-, zal, -ee-, uh, n-siz, mey-z, a, l-, yahns].
  1. a marriage with someone who is considered socially inferior; misalliance.


mésalliance

/ mezaljɑ̃s; mɛˈzælɪəns /

noun

  1. marriage with a person of lower social status
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of mésalliance1

From French, dating back to 1775–85; mis- 1, alliance
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of mésalliance1

C18: from French: misalliance
Discover More

Example Sentences

You were deeply grieved over the mesalliance of Miss Lamotte?

No matter to him what horrors they suffered, he considered it all but a just punishment for their attempted mesalliance.

The marriage of convenience is much used in plays of this type, too, as well as the mesalliance that afterward turns out well.

The virtuous woman then saw, when it was too late, that it was she who had formed a mesalliance.

She had married beneath her, had Mrs. Fleming, and the Belmanoirs had never quite forgiven the shocking mesalliance.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


mesailmesarch