Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Bigamy
Big′a-my
,Noun.
[OE.
bigamie
, fr. L. bigamus
twice married; bis
twice + Gr. [GREEK]
marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jāmis
related, and L. gemini
twins, the root meaning to bind
, join
: cf. F. bigamie
. Cf. Digamy
.] (Law)
The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another.
Wharton.
☞ It is not strictly correct to call this offense bigamy: it more properly denominated polygamy, i. e., having a plurality of wives or husbands at once, and in several statutes in the United States the offense is classed under the head of polygamy.
In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense.
In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense.
Blackstone.
Bouvier.
Base declension and loathed
bigamy
. Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Bigamy
BIG'AMY
,Noun.
The crime of having two wives at once. But the term is ordinarily used as synonymous with Polygamy, and may be more justly defined, the crime of having a plurality of wives.
In the canon law, bigamy was the marrying a second wife after the death of the first, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders,and holding ecclesiastical offices.
Definition 2024
bigamy
bigamy
English
Noun
bigamy (countable and uncountable, plural bigamies)
- The state of having two (legal or illegal) spouses simultaneously
- (ecclesiastical) A second marriage
Synonyms
- (a second marriage): digamy, deuterogamy
Translations
state of having two spouses simultaneously
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second marriage
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