premarital

American  

[pree-mar-i-tl] / priˈmær ɪ tl /

adjective

1. preceding marriage.

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premarital British  

/ priːˈmærɪtəl /

adjective

1. (esp of sexual relations) occurring before marriage Compare extramarital

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Etymology

Origin of premarital

First recorded in 1885–90; pre- + marital

Example Sentences

When your husband was deciding to split his premarital assets, it was good of him to keep you in the loop.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

It is a significant change from the days when most meetings between young people were carefully managed by relatives with an eye to marriage, and any form of premarital romantic relations was off limits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

I love him, we’ve done good premarital counseling, and I think we have a solid chance of a long happy marriage, but I also believe in preventing problems when possible.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2023

The statement said Mr. Jones owned two cars and two boats valued at $274,000, but listed as “unknown” the value of his premarital agreement, eight limited liability companies and several trusts.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2023

James was not even interested in the incidence of homosexuality among college students as compared to religious groups, or in the comparison between premarital experience and level of education.

From The Fourth R by Smith, George Oliver