Meanings
plural matrimonies
- uncountableMarriage; the state of being married.
If either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it.
1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC1 more example
[…]you can play around with girls without being involved in meshes of sentiment, and you can do anything and be justified—and here am I with the brains to do everything, yet tied to the sinking ship of future matrimony.
1920 April, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, book II (The Education of a Personage), page 255 - countableobsoleteuncountableA spouse.
Synonyms & antonyms
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinmātrimōnium“marriage, wedlock”
- Old Frenchmatremoine
- Englishmatrimony
From Old French matremoine, from Latin mātrimōnium (“marriage, wedlock”), from mātri(s) (“mother”) + -mōnium (“obligation”). By surface analysis, matri- + -mony. Compare patrimony.
More words from Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian брак, съпружество
- брак (brak)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- съпружество (săpružestvo)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- венчавка (venčavka)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
Chinese Mandarin 婚姻, 婚礼
- 婚姻 (hūnyīn)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- 婚礼 (hūnlǐ)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
Danish ægteskab, vielse
- ægteskabmarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- vielsemarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Esperanto edzeco, edzineco
- edzecomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- edzinecomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- geedzecomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- nuptomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- geedziĝomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- edziĝomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- edziniĝomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Finnish avioliitto, vihkiminen
- avioliittomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- vihkiminenmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
French mariage
- mariagemarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
German Ehe, Hochzeit
- Ehemarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- Hochzeitmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- Heiratmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- Eheschließungmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- Trauungmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Greek γάμος, κοινωνία γάμου
- γάμος (gámos)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- κοινωνία γάμου (koinonía gámou)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- γαμήλια τελετή (gamília teletí)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
- γάμος (gámos)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
Hungarian házasság, matrimónium
- házasságmarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- matrimóniummarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- esküvőmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Italian matrimonio, matrimonio
- matrimoniomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- matrimoniomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- cerimonia di nozzemarriage ceremony — see also wedding
- nozzemarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Latin mātrimōnium, coniugium
- mātrimōniummarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- coniugiummarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
Latvian laulība
- laulībamarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
Persian تأهل, عروسی
- تأهل (ta'ahhol)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- عروسی ('arusi)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
Polish związek małżeński
- związek małżeńskimarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
Portuguese matrimónio, matrimônio
- matrimóniomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- matrimôniomarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- casamentomarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Russian брак, супру́жество
- брак (brak)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- супру́жество (suprúžestvo)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- заму́жество (zamúžestvo)marriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- сва́дьба (svádʹba)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
- бракосочета́ние (brakosočetánije)marriage ceremony — see also wedding
Spanish boda
- bodamarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Swedish bröllop
- bröllopmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Turkish nikâh, düğün
- nikâhmarriage or the state of being married — see also marriage
- düğünmarriage ceremony — see also wedding
Cite this entry
matrimony. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matrimony
“matrimony.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matrimony. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “matrimony,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matrimony.
Source: matrimony on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.