traditional marriage

American  

noun

1. Anthropology. the primary established form of marriage recognized in a given country or religious or social group at a given time.

   In that culture, traditional marriage requires the families of the future bride and groom to engage in ritual visits and exchange gifts.

2. marriage between one man and one woman (primarily used by opponents of same-sex marriage).

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Etymology

Origin of traditional marriage

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

He said the bill explicitly states that children born out of such relationships will be considered legitimate offspring of the couple, inheriting all legal rights available to those born within a traditional marriage.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2024

After a drive by the UN Population Fund in 2020, more than 100 of Malawi's traditional chiefs - about a quarter of the total - have promised to fight traditional marriage in their communities.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2023

In 2012, its president and chief operating officer spoke in favor of traditional marriage, inviting protests from advocates for same-sex marriage.

From New York Times • May 31, 2023

Some wonder how the state has come to play such a prominent role in the Supreme Court’s consideration of whether same-sex marriage will be treated differently from traditional marriage.

From Washington Post • Dec. 4, 2022

In African culture there’s legal marriage and traditional marriage.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah