What does misogamy mean?
Misogamy means hostility or opposition toward marriage as an institution. It is often used in literary, historical, feminist, and social criticism to describe a persistent aversion to marriage, the expectation of marriage, or the roles traditionally associated with wives. The term can apply to a particular individual's outlook or to attitudes found in a society, text, or historical period. Although it is sometimes associated specifically with women's opposition to marriage, it is not simply another name for misogyny: misogyny targets women, whereas misogamy targets marriage as an institution. The two can overlap, especially where marital expectations are understood as oppressive. Misogamy is more common in formal and analytical writing than in casual conversation. The word is relatively uncommon, but it provides a precise term for distinguishing condemnation of marriage itself from hostility toward a particular partner, family arrangement, or social expectation.
nounHostility or opposition toward marriage as an institution. The term may be used particularly for attitudes expressed by women toward marriage or husbands, but its fundamental meaning is broader.
- Hostility toward marriage as an institution, sometimes specifically opposition to marriage or husbands expressed by women.
"Her essays trace a century of literature shaped by fear of marriage and deep misogamy."
"Her essays trace a century of literature shaped by fear of marriage and deep misogamy."
"The character's misogamy leads her to reject every offer of marriage."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; the word is normally used as an uncountable mass noun or in the singular.
"The study identifies two distinct forms of misogamy in the correspondence."
Misogamy makes marriage itself the target, while misogyny more often makes women the target.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misogamy come from?
Misogamy comes from Greek roots meaning “hatred of marriage”: misos, “hatred,” and gamos, “marriage.” The English word developed from these Greek elements and is related in form to monogamy and other compounds built on gamos. Its comparatively recent appearance largely reflects the growth of explicit social and political discussion of marriage during the modern period.
Related word forms
How misogamy is actually used
More common in academic, literary, and historical discussion than in everyday speech. It may refer to opposition to marriage generally or to attitudes attributed particularly to women.
Easily confused with misogamy
Misogamy is hostility toward marriage as an institution, whereas misogyny is hostility toward women as a group; the two attitudes may coexist.