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mésalliance

American  
[mey-zuh-lahy-uhns, mey-zal-ee-uhns, mey-zal-yahns] / ˌmeɪ zəˈlaɪ əns, meɪˈzæl i əns, meɪ zalˈyɑ̃s /

noun

plural

mésalliances

  1. a marriage with someone who is considered socially inferior; misalliance.

mésalliance British  
/ 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

Etymology

Origin of mésalliance

From French, dating back to 1775–85; see origin at mis- 1, alliance

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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.