marriage
- 01 A2 Elementary
the legal, social, or religious relationship between people who have promised to live together as partners.
the legal, social, or religious status of being wed; a formal union between partners that establishes rights and obligations.
Simple“They have a very strong marriage because they always talk about their problems.”
In context“Sociologists argue that the institution of marriage has evolved significantly over the last century to reflect changing gender roles and legal frameworks.”
PitfallThey have a happy marriage with twenty years. They have been in a happy marriage for twenty years.Use 'for' to describe the duration of a marriage, or 'of' to describe the length (e.g., 'a marriage of twenty years').
Antonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
the event or ceremony where two people get married.
the formal ceremony or ritual marking the beginning of a marital union.
Simple“The whole family gathered at the church for the marriage of the youngest daughter.”
In context“The marriage was celebrated in a private ceremony, attended only by immediate family and a few close associates of the couple.”
Synonymsweddingnuptials - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a successful or pleasing combination of two different things.
a figurative union or combination of two or more distinct elements, often resulting in a harmonious or effective whole.
Simple“The restaurant's success is a perfect marriage of great food and low prices.”
In context“The architect's latest project represents a seamless marriage of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge sustainable technology.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
a pair consisting of a king and a queen of the same suit in certain card games.
a combination of a king and a queen of the same suit held in a single hand, particularly in games like pinochle or certain variants of poker.
Simple“He won extra points because he held a marriage of hearts in his hand.”
In context“In pinochle, declaring a marriage in the trump suit yields a higher point value than a marriage in a non-trump suit.”
Synonyms
From Middle English mariage, from Old French mariage, from marier (“to marry”), from Latin marītō (“marry”, verb, literally “give in marriage”), from marītus (“lover”, “nuptial”), from mas (“male, masculine, of the male sex”). Equivalent to marry + -age. Doublet of maritage. Displaced native Old English sinsċipe.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.