Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or crime of marrying one person while still legally married to another: Bigamy refers to the unlawful practice of entering into a marriage with one individual when a prior marriage to a different person is still legally valid and has not been dissolved by death, divorce, or annulment.
   • The state of having two spouses simultaneously: It describes the condition of a person who is married to two people at the same time.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He was charged with bigamy after it was discovered he had a wife in another state.
  • In many jurisdictions, bigamy is considered a serious criminal offense.
  • The novel's plot revolves around a case of accidental bigamy due to a mistaken belief of a spouse's death.

Advanced Usage

• Legal and Social Context: The term is primarily used in legal, sociological, and ethical discussions. It is distinct from polygamy, which is a broader term for having multiple spouses and may be culturally or religiously sanctioned in some societies, whereas bigamy is specifically the unlawful act of a second marriage.
  • The law does not recognize the second marriage; it is void due to bigamy.

Variants and Related Words

• Bigamist (noun): A person who commits bigamy; someone who has two spouses simultaneously.
  • The court sentenced the bigamist to two years of probation.
• Bigamous (adjective): Characterized by or involving bigamy.
  • The marriage was declared bigamous and therefore invalid.

Synonyms

• Double marriage (less common, descriptive)
• Illegal dual marriage (descriptive)

Antonyms

• Monogamy: The practice or state of being married to one person at a time.
• Celibacy: The state of abstaining from marriage and sexual relations.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "To commit bigamy": The standard phrase for describing the act.
  • She had no idea she was committing bigamy when she remarried, believing her first husband was dead.
• "Charge of bigamy" / "Bigamy charges": Common collocations in legal contexts.
  • He faced bigamy charges after both wives filed complaints.

Noun

1. the offense of marrying someone while you have a living spouse from whom no valid divorce has occurred
2. having two spouses at the same time