What does bigamy mean?
Bigamy is the act of marrying one person while still legally married to another, and it constitutes a criminal offence in most jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The word belongs chiefly to legal and journalistic registers: newspapers report charges of bigamy, courts hear cases of it, and novels often hinge on its dramatic revelations. Because a valid second marriage cannot legally exist while the first persists, bigamy typically comes to light when a spouse discovers a partner's earlier, undissolved marriage. The term carries strongly negative connotations, implying deception of both the second spouse and the state. It should be distinguished from polygamy, the broader practice of having multiple spouses, which some societies permit; bigamy always implies illegality or concealment. Derived forms include 'bigamist' for a person who commits it and 'bigamous' to describe such a marriage. The word derives from Greek roots via Latin and Old French, literally suggesting a 'twofold marriage.'
nounThe offence of marrying one person while already being legally married to another.
- The criminal offence of entering into a marriage with one person while already legally married to another.
"He was charged with bigamy after it emerged that he had never divorced his first wife."
"She discovered only after the wedding that her husband's earlier marriage had never been annulled, making him guilty of bigamy."
"The novel's plot turns on an accusation of bigamy that threatens to ruin the family name."
Rarely used; the uncountable singular is standard when referring to the offence in general.
"Historical records document several bigamies prosecuted by the ecclesiastical courts."
In England, bigamy was once punishable by hanging — and even today it can carry up to seven years in prison.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bigamy
Bigamy entered English from Anglo-Norman and Old French 'bigamie', ultimately deriving from Late Latin 'bigamus', meaning 'twice married'. This in turn traces back to Greek roots: 'bi-' meaning 'two' and '-gamos' relating to 'marriage', from the Greek verb 'gamein', 'to marry'. The same Greek root appears in words such as monogamy, polygamy, and even gamete, reflecting the ancient connection between marriage and union. In medieval canon law, the term originally carried the sense of a second marriage after the death of a first spouse — a meaning now obsolete — before narrowing to its modern legal sense of overlapping marriages.
Related word forms
How bigamy is actually used
Bigamy is primarily a legal term carrying strong negative connotation, as it names a crime in most jurisdictions. It is used in formal, legal, and journalistic contexts rather than everyday conversation. Note that if the first marriage has ended in divorce or death before the second takes place, no bigamy has occurred; the term applies strictly to overlapping marriages. It is distinct from polygamy, which may describe permitted cultural practice elsewhere.
Easily confused with bigamy
Bigamy is specifically marrying a second person while still legally married to the first, whereas polygamy is the broader practice or custom of having multiple spouses at once.