son-in-law
UK[ˈsʌn ɪn lɔː]US[ˈsʌn ɪn lɑː]
n
the husband of one's daughter.
Etymology
the term "son-in-law" is a native english compound, following a pattern common in germanic languages to describe familial relationships by marriage. the "in-law" component originates from the old english phrase "in lagu," meaning "in the law," which referred to the legal bond created by marriage rather than by blood. over time, this phrase was condensed and attached to kinship terms like "son," "daughter," "mother," etc., to specify an affinity relationship. thus, a "son-in-law" literally means a son within the legal framework of marriage, evolving into its modern sense as the husband of one's daughter.
Analysis
this is a compound noun formed from three independent english words: "son", "in", and "law". it is not further segmentable into smaller morphemes.
Examples
my son-in-law is a talented architect who designed our new house.
we are having a family dinner to celebrate our son-in-law's promotion.
she gets along very well with her son-in-law and often babysits their children.