matrimony

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈmætrɪmoʊni/ UK /ˈmætrɪməni/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the state or ceremony of being married; marriage

They were joined in holy matrimony at the village church.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state or ceremony of... marriage wedlock union nuptials espousal

Opposites

divorce celibacy singleness

Word family

Derived forms matrimonial matrimonially

Related forms matron maternal mother

Simplified etymology

Matrimony entered English in the Middle Ages and derives from the word family of Latin mater, “mother,” which shares an ancient ancestor with English mother, Dutch moeder, and German Mutter.

Etymology

From Old French matremoine, from Latin mātrimōnium ('marriage'), from māter ('mother') plus the suffix -mōnium denoting state or action — marriage being framed as the condition of motherhood.

mātrimōnium Latin māter Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# matrimony

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmætrɪmoʊni/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmætrɪməni/

## Meanings
1. the state or ceremony of being married; marriage

## Examples
- They were joined in holy matrimony at the village church.

## Synonyms
- marriage
- wedlock
- union
- nuptials
- espousal

## Antonyms
- divorce
- celibacy
- singleness

## Derived Forms
- matrimonial
- matrimonially

## Related Forms
- matron
- maternal
- mother

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mātrimōnium
- Root: māter

## Etymology
From Old French matremoine, from Latin mātrimōnium ('marriage'), from māter ('mother') plus the suffix -mōnium denoting state or action — marriage being framed as the condition of motherhood.

## AI Etymology
Matrimony comes from Old French matremoine, from Latin mātrimōnium ('marriage'), from māter ('mother') plus the suffix -mōnium denoting state or action — marriage being framed as the condition of motherhood. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As a noun, it denotes "the state or ceremony of being married; marriage", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin mātrimōnium and Latin māter. Derivative forms include matrimonial, matrimonially; related words include matron, maternal, mother.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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