What does intermarriage mean?
Intermarriage means marriage between people belonging to different social, religious, ethnic, cultural, or tribal groups. It may describe a single union, such as an interracial or interfaith marriage, or the broader social practice of marrying outside one's own community. The term is widely used in history, law, sociology, and anthropology, where it can accompany discussions of social integration, identity, inheritance, and changing communal boundaries. Its connotation depends on context: it may be neutral and descriptive, while historical examples of prohibited or discouraged intermarriage can carry associations with conflict and resistance. Anthropologists often use the more technical term exogamy for marriage outside a prescribed group, contrasting it with endogamy, in which marriage occurs within the group. Intermarriage is therefore useful because it points not merely to the joining of two individuals, but also to the crossing of social boundaries and the relationships among communities.
nounMarriage between members of different social, religious, ethnic, cultural, or tribal groups. The term can also refer more broadly to the practice or custom of marrying outside one's own group.
- Marriage between members of different social, religious, ethnic, cultural, or tribal groups.
"The two communities' long history of intermarriage shaped the region's distinctive culture."
"Intermarriage between the two religious communities became more common during the twentieth century."
"The report examines intermarriage and its effects on the preservation of local traditions."
The plural is used for multiple marriages across social or group boundaries.
"The study compares intermarriages in several border communities."
Intermarriage turns a boundary drawn by a community into a bridge between people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intermarriage come from?
The English word combines the Latin-derived prefix inter-, meaning 'between' or 'among,' with marriage. It developed as a term for marriage across communities rather than within the boundaries of one community. Its formation parallels the verb intermarry, while marriage, marry, and marital belong to the same broader Latin marital word family. The precise sense has varied with historical context, but the central idea of marrying across group boundaries has remained stable.
Related word forms
How intermarriage is actually used
The word is formal and is especially common in historical, legal, sociological, and anthropological discussions. In anthropology, exogamy is a more technical term for marriage outside a prescribed group. The word may refer to either an individual marriage or the wider practice of intermarriage.
Easily confused with intermarriage
Intermarriage is a broad, often neutral term for marriage across social or cultural groups, whereas miscegenation has usually referred specifically to interracial marriage or sexual relations and can carry a strongly negative historical and social charge.