bigamy

[ big-uh-mee ]
/ ˈbɪg ə mi /

noun, plural big·a·mies.

Law. the crime of marrying while one has a spouse still living, from whom no valid divorce has been effected.
Ecclesiastical. any violation of canon law concerning marital status that would disqualify a person from receiving holy orders or from retaining or surpassing an ecclesiastical rank.

Origin of bigamy

1200–50; Middle English bigamie < Medieval Latin bigamia (Late Latin bigam(us) bigamous + Latin -ia -y3)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bigamy

bigamy polyandry polygamy polygyny

Example sentences from the Web for bigamy

British Dictionary definitions for bigamy

bigamy
/ (ˈbɪɡəmɪ) /

noun plural -mies

the crime of marrying a person while one is still legally married to someone else

Derived forms of bigamy

bigamist, noun bigamous, adjective bigamously, adverb

Word Origin for bigamy

C13: via French from Medieval Latin bigamus; see bi- 1, -gamy