fornication

American  

[fawr-ni-key-shuhn] / ˌfɔr nɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other.

2. Bible. idolatry.

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fornication British  

/ ˌfɔːnɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. voluntary sexual intercourse outside marriage

2. law voluntary sexual intercourse between two persons of the opposite sex, where one is or both are unmarried

3. Bible sexual immorality in general, esp adultery

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Other Word Forms

• fornicatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of fornication

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fornicacioun, from Late Latin fornicātiōn-, stem of fornicātiō; equivalent to fornicate ¹ + -ion

Compare meaning

How does fornication compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• adultery vs. fornication

Example Sentences

Khawar Maneka - a civil servant and son of a well-known politician - filed a complaint alleging "fraudulent marriage and fornication" in November, according to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper.

From BBC

He would accuse people of acts such as blasphemy, treachery or fornication.

From BBC

She would speak derisively about “the hideousness of modern fornication,” and seemed to find the body distasteful, if not disgusting.

From New York Times

In March, Baxter preached about “the sin of fornication” out of wedlock — suggesting the coronavirus crisis was “a wake-up call.”

From Fox News

Democratic state legislators in the Virginia House of Delegates repealed the "crime of fornication" last week--in the state that has long used the slogan, "Virginia is for lovers" to attract tourists, FOX 40 reports.

From Fox News