bigamy
nounUS, UK /ˈbɪɡəmi/
Etymology
From Middle English bigamie (“having two spouses simultaneously, bigamy; second marriage; marrying a widow or widower”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman bigamie and Middle French bigamie (“having two spouses simultaneously; second marriage; marrying a widow or widower”) (modern French bigamie (“bigamy”)), and its etymon Late Latin bigamia (“having two spouses simultaneously; second marriage”), from Late Latin, Latin bigamus (“bigamous”) + -ia (variant of -ius (suffix forming adjectives from nouns)). Bigamus is derived from bis (“twice, two times”) + Ancient Greek γάμος (gámos, “marriage; matrimony”) (from Proto-Indo-European *ǵem- (“to marry”)). The English word is analysable as bi- + -gamy.
1
The state of having two (legal or illegal) spouses simultaneously.
- But now we may find in S. Margarets life, who it is that is Chriſtes wife: whereby we are ſo much wiſer than we were before. But looke in the life of S. Katharine, in the golden legend, and you ſhall find that he was alſo married to S. Katharine, and that our ladie made the marriage, &c. An excellent authoritie for bigamie.1584, “The Storie of Saint Margaret Prooued to be Both Ridiculous and Impious in Euerie Point”, in The Discoverie of Witchcraft, […], London: […] William Brome, →OCLC, book XV (The Exposition of Iidoni, […]), pages 459–460:
- A beauty-waining and diſtreſſed widow [Elizabeth Woodville], / Euen in the afternoone of her beſt daies / Made priſe and purchaſe of his [Edward IV's] luſtfull eye, / Seduct the pitch and height of al his thoughts, / To baſe declenſion and loathd bigamie, / By her in his vnlawfull bed he got.c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vii]:
4 more examples
- Not to take a Wife to her Siſter] Not to take one Wife to another, or not to have at once two Wives. This ſentence condemneth Bigamie, and Polygamie, having two or more Wives together, Lev[iticus] 18. 18. Neither ſhalt thou take a Wife to her Siſter to vex her.1661, Thomas Wilson, John Bagwell, Andrew Simson, “Not to take a Wife to her Sister”, in A Complete Christian Dictionary: […], 7th edition, London: […] Thomas Williams […], →OCLC, page 592:
- It is the Complaint of many that ſecular Judges and others make an Objection of Bigamy againſt Clerks when they are taken and impriſon'd for their Crimes, and demand to be ſent to the Eccleſiaſtical Court; [...] Farther he who marries a Widow, or two Women oftentimes does not contract Bigamy according to them, and they do not eſteem ſome to be Bigamiſts, who really are ſo.1720, John Johnson, “Supposed Constitutions of Archbishop Reynold’s”, in A Collection of All the Ecclesiastical Laws, Canons, Answers, or Rescripts, with Other Memorials Concerning the Government, Discipline and Worship of the Church of England. […], 2nd part, London: […] Robert Knaplock […] , and Samuel Ballard […], →OCLC:
- This is a peculiar privilege of the clergy, that sentence of death can never be passed upon them for any number of manslaughters, bigamies, simple larcenies, or other clergyable offences; [...]1807, W[illia]m Blackstone, Edward Christian, “Of the Clergy”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, […], Portland, Me.: […] Thomas B. Wait, & Co., →OCLC, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), footnote 2, page 377:
- The missionaries have prepared a sort of penal tariff to facilitate judicial proceedings. [...] The judge being provided with a book, in which all these matters are cunningly arranged, the thing is vastly convenient. For instance: a crime is proved,—say, bigamy; turn to letter B.—and there you have it. Bigamy:—forty days on the Broom Road, and twenty mats for the queen. Read the passage aloud, and sentence is pronounced.1847 March 30, Herman Melville, “Taloo Chapel.—Holding Court in Polynesia.”, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, pages 305–306:
2
Ecclesiastical, Law, Lifestyle, Religion Historical A second marriage after the death of a spouse.
- Bigamie was a counterplea (deuiſed at yͤ Councell of Lyons, vpon mislike of ſecond marriage) to be obiected, when the priſoner demaundeth the benefite of the Clergie, to wit, his Book, as namely to ſay, that he which demaundeth the priuiledge of the Clergie, was married to ſuch a woman at ſuch a place, within ſuch a Dioceſſe, and that ſhee is dead, and that hee hath married another woman within the ſame Dioceſſe, or within ſome other Dioceſſe, and ſo is Bigamus.1624, [John Rastell], “Bigamie”, in Les Termes de la Ley: Or, Certaine Difficult and Obscure VVords and Termes of the Common Lawes of This Realme Expounded. […], new edition, London: […] Company of Stationers, →OCLC, folio 45, recto and verso: