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

And likewise, maybe if someone who feels strongly about “traditional marriage” can enjoy Margaret Cho’s rainbow confetti cannon, there’s a chance of a little less homophobia in the world.

From Salon

Chun, the data journalist, points out that the mass entry of women into higher education also led to another tectonic shift being felt by the current crop of young men: the rapid collapse of traditional marriage dynamics.

From Los Angeles Times

As currently written, the hurdles the bill creates could serve as a disincentive to marriage — or, at least, traditional marriage — agued Marcia Zug, a University of South Carolina School of Law professor whose research focuses on immigration law, reproductive rights, federal Indian law and marital law.

From Salon

The Marriage Equality Act, the first law of its kind in Southeast Asia, redefines marriage as a partnership between two individuals of any gender and grants same-sex couples the legal rights of traditional marriage on issues such as inheritance, adoption and medical benefits.

From Los Angeles Times

Can I be in a traditional marriage and still have a husband who does all the grocery shopping and all the dishes?

From Salon