# white marriage

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/white-marriage
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unconsummated marriage.

## Examples

- They had a white marriage for religious reasons.
- He wonders if a white marriage can actually work in the modern world.
- You might choose a white marriage if you only want a legal partner.
- After ten years together, she admitted they had a white marriage and were more like friends.
- The historian explained that the king and queen lived in a white marriage to fulfill their political duties without ever becoming a real couple.
- Some people choose a white marriage because they want a life partner but do not feel any physical attraction to others.
- Though deeply devoted, the couple maintained a white marriage throughout their long union, finding intimacy in companionship rather than physical love.

## Origin

A calque of the French *mariage blanc*, the term rests upon the traditional association of the colour white with purity and virginity. The specific imagery refers to the absence of hymenal blood upon the couple's bedsheets following the wedding night. The lack of such physical evidence served as the primary indicator that the union remained unconsummated.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.