What does remarriage mean?
Remarriage means marrying again after an earlier marriage has ended, whether because of divorce, death, or another circumstance. It refers both to the act of forming a new marriage and to the marriage itself. The word is generally neutral and is used in legal, biographical, social, and personal contexts. Remarriage can carry different associations depending on the circumstances: it may suggest hope and renewal, while discussions of it may also address legal responsibilities, family relationships, financial arrangements, or the experiences of children. It is distinct from marriage, which does not imply that an earlier marriage existed. In everyday language, “second marriage” is often a simpler alternative, but “remarriage” is especially useful when the fact of marrying again is important.
nounThe act of marrying again after a previous marriage has ended. It can also refer to the resulting marriage.
- The act of marrying again after a previous marriage has ended.
- A marriage contracted after an earlier marriage has ended.
"After years of rebuilding her life, she considered remarriage without rushing into another relationship."
"Their remarriage gave both of them a second chance at a shared life."
"The article examines how remarriage affects families and children from a first marriage."
The plural is used for multiple instances of remarriage or for multiple marriages formed after earlier marriages.
"Their remarriages after 2000 reflected changing family circumstances."
Remarriage is a reminder that a marriage can end while the possibility of partnership does not.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does remarriage come from?
The word is formed from the prefix re-, meaning again, and marriage, which comes through Old French from Latin maritare, associated with maritalis and marriage. The combined form remarriage developed in English to denote another marriage after an earlier one had ended. The related verb remarry and its inflected forms follow the same re- plus verb pattern.
Related word forms
How remarriage is actually used
Remarriage is neutral and is used in both formal and informal contexts. It most commonly refers to remarriage after divorce or the death of a spouse, though it can also apply to any subsequent marriage.
Easily confused with remarriage
A marriage is the union itself, whereas a remarriage is a marriage that follows an earlier one that has ended.