Meanings
nounwhite marriage (plural white marriages)
plural white marriages
- idiomaticAn unconsummated marriage.
Origin
- Frenchmariage blanc
- Englishwhite marriage
Calque of French mariage blanc. “White” is the traditional symbol of purity and therefore of virginity. It may also refer to the absence of hymenal blood on the couple’s sheets.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 不同房的婚姻
- 不同房的婚姻 (bù tóngfáng de hūnyīn)unconsummated marriage
Finnish seksitön avioliitto
- seksitön avioliittounconsummated marriage
French mariage blanc
- mariage blancunconsummated marriage
Italian matrimonio in bianco
- matrimonio in biancounconsummated marriage
Polish białe małżeństwo
- białe małżeństwounconsummated marriage
Cite this entry
APA
white marriage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20marriage
MLA
“white marriage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20marriage. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “white marriage,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/white%20marriage.
Source: white marriage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.