bigamy

noun

big·​a·​my ˈbi-gə-mē 

law : the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another

was accused of bigamy

bigamist

ˈbi-gə-mist 

noun

Examples of bigamy in a Sentence

He was accused of bigamy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Answer: Treason, murder, obstruction, theft, smuggling, piracy, mutiny, desertion, bigamy, dueling, accepting the land grant on the Ridge under false pretenses. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 July 2024

But with no-fault divorces, a couple could split amiably, without accusing or proving anything like bigamy or fraud or abandonment. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024

May 30: Future U.S. President Andrew Jackson shoots and kills American attorney Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson accused Jackson's wife of bigamy. —John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024

Section 241 in Mississippi's state constitution specifies 10 felonies—murder, rape, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy—for which a conviction will result in a person losing their right to vote. —Virginia Langmaid, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bigamie, from Medieval Latin bigamia, from Latin bi- + Late Latin -gamia -gamy

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bigamy

noun

big·​a·​my ˈbig-ə-mē 

: the act of marrying one person while still legally married to another

bigamist

-məst 

noun

bigamous

-məs

adjective

bigamously adverb

Etymology

Middle English bigamie "bigamy," derived from Latin bi- "two" and Greek gamia "marriage"

Legal Definition

bigamy

noun

big·​a·​my ˈbi-gə-mē 

: the crime of marrying someone while still legally married to someone else compare polygamy

bigamist

-mist 

noun

Etymology

Medieval Latin bigamia, ultimately from Latin bi- two + Greek gamos marriage