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).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.