bigamy
UK[ˈbɪɡəmi]US[ˈbɪɡəmi]
n
the crime of marrying someone while already legally married to another person.
n
the state of having two spouses at the same time.
Morpheme Breakdown
bi
gamy
bi
two
gamy
marriage
Etymology
the word 'bigamy' is a direct borrowing from medieval latin 'bigamia', which itself was formed from latin and greek elements. the latin prefix 'bi-' (two) was combined with the greek root '-gamia' (marriage), a derivative of 'gamos'. this hybrid construction reflects the scholarly and legal language of the medieval period. literally meaning "the state of two marriages," the term entered english to specifically denote the unlawful condition of being married to two people simultaneously, evolving from a general descriptor to a precise legal and social concept.
Analysis
Structure: bi (two) + gamy (marriage)
- bi: from latin 'bi-', meaning 'two'. a numerical prefix.
- gamy: from greek '-gamia', derived from 'gamos', meaning 'marriage'. a combining form.
Examples
he was charged with bigamy after his first wife discovered he had remarried.
in many jurisdictions, bigamy is considered a felony.
the novel explores the social consequences of bigamy in a conservative community.