What does marriage mean?
Marriage is the legally or socially recognized union between two people, most commonly understood as the relationship between spouses. The term can refer to an individual union, the act of marrying, or the wider institution that organizes family, property, inheritance, and social status. In modern usage, marriage is not limited to unions between a man and a woman: it may also describe same-sex marriages and, in some jurisdictions, marriages between people of different genders or nonbinary people. The phrase can carry positive connotations of commitment, companionship, and family life, but it may also be used in legal, political, religious, or historical discussions with more formal or neutral force. “Marriage of convenience,” “arranged marriage,” and “marriage contract” are established expressions that illustrate the word’s broad social and legal range.
nounThe legally or socially recognized union between two people, especially as a husband and wife. It may also refer to the institution, relationship, or ceremony of being married.
- The legally or socially recognized union of two people as spouses.
- The institution or relationship of marriage, including its legal, social, and cultural aspects.
- The act or ceremony of marrying.
"Their marriage has lasted for more than four decades."
"The couple celebrated their marriage with a small reception."
"Marriage can provide legal, financial, and social recognition to a committed relationship."
Used for separate unions or relationships involving marriage.
"The documentary explored the marriages of several prominent artists."
Marriage is one of the oldest social institutions, appearing in some form in nearly every recorded human culture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does marriage come from?
The word entered Middle English through Old French mariage, a noun meaning marriage or the act of marrying. It was derived from Latin maritare, “to marry,” related to the Latin family of terms concerning husbands, wives, and marital status. The English forms marry, marriage, marital, and matrimony reflect this shared historical root, while the modern word has developed meanings encompassing both a particular union and the institution itself.
Related word forms
How marriage is actually used
The word is neutral in register and is used for both the personal relationship and the wider social institution. In legal contexts, it usually denotes a formally recognized union; in historical or literary contexts, it may refer more broadly to a marriage contract or ceremony.
Easily confused with marriage
Marriage commonly refers to the relationship or institution, while matrimony is a more formal or literary term for the state of being married.