marriage
marriage Lexical Profile
marriage Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship.
"They celebrated their fiftieth year of marriage with a grand party surrounded by family and friends."
The formal ceremony or procedure by which two people are wed.
"Their marriage took place in a beautiful historic chapel overlooking the coast."
A combination or mixture of two or more distinct elements.
"The restaurant's innovative menu represents a perfect marriage of traditional French technique and local Japanese ingredients."
Word Nuance & Usage
English learners frequently confuse 'marriage' with 'wedding'; 'marriage' refers to the ongoing relationship or legal institution, whereas 'wedding' strictly denotes the ceremony that initiates it.
• Rhymes for marriage
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'mariage', borrowed from Old French 'mariage', which is based on 'marier' (to marry), ultimately from Latin 'maritare' (to wed) and 'maritus' (husband).