bigamy

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: big=a=my

CIDE DICTIONARY

bigamy, n. [OE. bigamie, fr. L. bigamus twice married; bis twice + Gr. marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jāmis related, and L. gemini twins, the root meaning to bind, join: cf. F. bigamie. Cf. Digamy.].

 The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another.  Wharton.  [1913 Webster]
" It is not strictly correct to call this offense bigamy: it more properly denominated polygamy, i. e., having a plurality of wives or husbands at once, and in several statutes in the United States the offense is classed under the head of polygamy.

In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense."  Blackstone. Bouvier.  [1913 Webster]
"Base declension and loathed bigamy."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bigamy, n. (pl. -ies) the crime of marrying when one is lawfully married to another person.

Derivative

bigamist n. bigamous adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF bigamie f. bigame bigamous f. LL bigamus (as BI-, Gk gamos marriage)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

bigamy

n. A mistake in taste for which the wisdom of the future will adjudge a punishment called trigamy.

THESAURUS

bigamy

beena marriage, common-law marriage, companionate marriage, concubinage, deuterogamy, left-handed marriage, levirate, leviration, love match, marriage of convenience, monandry, monogamy, monogyny, morganatic marriage, picture marriage, polyandry, polygamy, polygyny, trial marriage, trigamy

ROGET THESAURUS

bigamy

Marriage

N marriage, matrimony, wedlock, union, intermarriage, miscegenation, the bonds of marriage, vinculum matrimonii, nuptial tie, married state, coverture, bed, cohabitation, match, betrothment, wedding, nuptials, Hymen, bridal, espousals, spousals, leading to the altar, nuptial benediction, epithalamium, sealing, torch of Hymen, temple of Hymen, hymeneal altar, honeymoon, bridesmaid, bridesman, best man, bride, bridegroom, married man, married woman, married couple, neogamist, Benedict, partner, spouse, mate, yokemate, husband, man, consort, baron, old man, good man, wife of one's bosom, helpmate, rib, better half, gray mare, old woman, old lady, good wife, goodwife, feme, feme coverte, squaw, lady, matron, matronage, matronhood, man and wife, wedded pair, Darby and Joan, spiritual wife, monogamy, bigamy, digamy, deuterogamy, trigamy, polygamy, mormonism, levirate, spiritual wifery, spiritual wifeism, polyandrism, Turk, bluebeard, unlawful marriage, left-handed marriage, morganatic marriage, ill- assorted marriage, mesalliance, mariage de convenance, marriage broker, matrimonial agency, matrimonial agent, matrimonial bureau, matchmaker, schatchen, married, one, one bone and one flesh, marriageable, nubile, engaged, betrothed, affianced, matrimonial, marital, conjugal, connubial, wedded, nuptial, hymeneal, spousal, bridal, the gray mare the better horse, a world-without-end bargain, marriages are made in Heaven, render me worthy of this noble wife, si qua voles apte nubere nube pari.