wedlock
marriage
TRANSLATION
wedlock = die Ehe, der Ehestand out of wedlock = außerehelich child born out of wedlock = nichteheliches Kind ---- How important is this English word? wedlock: 4,830,000 Google Hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Births out of WEDLOCK are becoming the norm. How should governments respond?
BRITAIN is nearly there; America not far behind; France passed the milestone in 2007. As couples wait longer to marry, and fewer eventually do, the number of countries where more births are out of WEDLOCK than in it has risen to more than 20.
Economist
BRITAIN is nearly there; America not far behind; France passed the milestone in 2007. As couples wait longer to marry, and fewer eventually do, the number of countries where more births are out of WEDLOCK than in it has risen to more than 20.
Economist
Did you
know?
wedlock
noun
- The state of being married; matrimony.
- born out of wedlock: of parents not legally married to each other
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ORIGIN
Wedlock is an odd construction that traces back to the Old English "wedlac." Wed stems from the verb "wedden," meaning to engage or pledge to do something, as in marriage. "Lac" was then added to form the noun "wedlac," which basically meant a marriage vow.
The suffix eventually changed to lock through the association of its meaning to fasten or secure something.
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SYNONYMS
conjugality, connubiality, coupling, espousal, fatal step, marriage, matrimony, hook, life sentence, mating, matrimony, monogamy, nuptials, pledging, sacrament, shotgun, spousal, tying of the knot, wedded bliss, wedded state, wedding, wedding bells, wedding ceremony, wedlock
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION
Say something like:
"They've been together now for over 3 years, is there any chance of wedlock?"
noun
- The state of being married; matrimony.
- born out of wedlock: of parents not legally married to each other
---
ORIGIN
Wedlock is an odd construction that traces back to the Old English "wedlac." Wed stems from the verb "wedden," meaning to engage or pledge to do something, as in marriage. "Lac" was then added to form the noun "wedlac," which basically meant a marriage vow.
The suffix eventually changed to lock through the association of its meaning to fasten or secure something.
---
SYNONYMS
conjugality, connubiality, coupling, espousal, fatal step, marriage, matrimony, hook, life sentence, mating, matrimony, monogamy, nuptials, pledging, sacrament, shotgun, spousal, tying of the knot, wedded bliss, wedded state, wedding, wedding bells, wedding ceremony, wedlock
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION
Say something like:
"They've been together now for over 3 years, is there any chance of wedlock?"
