marriage

marriage — noun

1. The legally recognized bond between two people as a couple, together with the ri

1.nounB1
Definition

The legally recognized bond between two people as a couple, together with the rights and duties this creates — or the ceremony that establishes this bond.

Example

Min and Jabari celebrated their marriage with a small ceremony at the city hall.

countable use: a specific ceremony

After forty years of marriage, Christopher's grandparents still held hands at dinner.

uncountable: length of the relationship

Common collocations
  • enter into a marriage
  • marriage proposal
  • marriage certificate
  • marriage license
  • arranged marriage
  • same‑sex marriage
  • child marriage
Synonyms
  • wedlock

    formal or legal term; rarely used in everyday speech ('born out of wedlock')

  • matrimony

    formal and often religious in tone; less common in casual conversation

  • union

    broader term; can also refer to non‑romantic alliances

  • nuptials

    refers specifically to the wedding ceremony, not the ongoing relationship

Antonyms
  • divorce

    the legal ending of a marriage

  • separation

    living apart while still legally married

Grammar Patterns

someone's marriage to someone

marriage between [two people]

marriage of [duration]

Usage Note

Both uncountable sense (the ongoing relationship, e.g. 'years of marriage') and countable sense (the ceremony, e.g. 'a small marriage') fall under this entry; distinguish by the use of articles and quantifiers.

Common Mistakes

I went to my cousin's marriage last weekend.
I went to my cousin's wedding last weekend.
'Marriage' refers to the legal relationship or status; 'wedding' is the specific ceremony event.
She has a marriage with a teacher.
She is married to a teacher.
'Marriage' is not used to describe one's spouse's identity; use the adjective 'married' for that.

2. A long‑term relationship in which two people live together as a couple without b

2.nounB2
Definition

A long‑term relationship in which two people live together as a couple without being legally married, but which they or their community consider a marriage.

Example

Andrés and Nila called their union a marriage although it was never officially registered.

an unregistered relationship treated as a marriage

Theirs was a quiet marriage recognized by friends but not by any official body.

Common collocations
  • de facto marriage
  • common‑law marriage
  • unregistered marriage
Synonyms
  • common‑law marriage

    a legally specific term that applies only in jurisdictions that recognize such unions; not equivalent to a purely social arrangement

  • de facto relationship

    neutral legal term for a cohabiting couple; overlaps with this sense but does not necessarily imply that the couple uses the word 'marriage'

Grammar Patterns

someone's marriage to someone

marriage between [two people]

Usage Note

This sense describes a relationship that people call a 'marriage' even though it has no legal status. Distinguish from sense 1 (LEGAL UNION), where legal recognition is central.

3. A marriage agreed to for practical reasons — such as gaining citizenship, financ

3.nounB2
Definition

A marriage agreed to for practical reasons — such as gaining citizenship, financial security, or social status — rather than for romantic love.

Example

Mira entered a marriage of convenience in order to remain in the country.

marriage of convenience fixed phrase

Shanti and Hoa agreed to a marriage of convenience to pool their financial resources.

Common collocations
  • marriage of convenience
  • sham marriage
  • green‑card marriage
Synonyms
  • arranged marriage

    overlaps but differs: arranged marriages may still aim for love or compatibility; marriages of convenience are explicitly for practical gain

  • sham marriage

    strongly negative; implies deception or illegality, especially for immigration fraud

Antonyms
  • love match

    a marriage based on romantic feelings rather than practical benefit

Grammar Patterns

a marriage of convenience

marriage of convenience + infinitive

Usage Note

Nearly always appears in the fixed phrase 'a marriage of convenience.' Avoid confusing with 'arranged marriage,' where families choose partners but love may still be the goal — in a marriage of convenience, practical advantage is the primary motive.

Common Mistakes

They had a convenience marriage to save on taxes.
They had a marriage of convenience to save on taxes.
The fixed phrase uses 'of convenience,' not 'convenience' as an adjective alone.

4. A close blend of two different elements — such as ideas, styles, flavours, or ma

4.nounC1
Definition

A close blend of two different elements — such as ideas, styles, flavours, or materials — that work together well.

Example

The dish was a marriage of Eastern spices and Western cooking methods.

marriage of [food element A] and [food element B]

The building's design is a marriage of old stonework and modern glass.

Common collocations
  • a marriage of [X] and [Y]
  • happy marriage of [styles]
Synonyms
  • fusion

    suggests a more thorough blending where the original parts become less distinct

  • blend

    less poetic; a neutral term for any mixture of elements

  • hybrid

    implies that something new is created from the two elements, often in technology or biology

Antonyms
  • division

    the opposite of bringing elements together

  • separation

    keeping elements apart rather than combining them

Grammar Patterns

a marriage of [thing A] and [thing B]

Usage Note

This figurative sense is always singular and takes the fixed pattern 'a marriage of X and Y.' Unlike senses 1–3, it does not involve people or romantic relationships.

Idioms

by marriage

idiom

Connected to someone because a family member married them or you married their family member.

Sara is my cousin by marriage, not by blood.

Are you related to Diego by marriage or by birth?

somebody’s hand (in marriage)

idiom

Permission from a parent or guardian for their daughter to marry someone.

The young man formally asked for her father's hand in marriage.

In the story, the king offered his daughter's hand in marriage to the hero.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to the legal or ceremonial joining of two people, but they differ in context and formality. 'Matrimony' is a formal, often religious term that emphasizes the spiritual or sacramental nature of marriage — you hear it in church ceremonies ('holy matrimony') but rarely in everyday talk. 'Wedlock' is an even older legal term that survives mostly in fixed expressions ('born out of wedlock') and sounds dated in casual use. 'Union' is broader and can apply to non‑marital partnerships, political mergers, or labor alliances; when used for marriage it often carries a softer, more inclusive tone ('a civil union'). 'Nuptials' refers specifically to the wedding ceremony itself — the event, not the ongoing relationship. For everyday reference to the legal relationship, 'marriage' remains the natural choice. For instance, you would say 'They celebrated fifty years of marriage,' not 'fifty years of nuptials' or 'fifty years of wedlock.'

matrimonywedlockunion ↗nuptials

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

The word 'marriage' entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'mariage,' which came from the verb 'marier' (to marry). The French verb traces back to Latin 'maritare' (to wed, to provide with a spouse), which itself comes from 'maritus' (married, husband). The ultimate origin of 'maritus' is uncertain — it may be related to the Latin word 'mas' (male). The sense of a non‑romantic combination (sense 4) developed as a figurative extension in the 16th century.