adultery
C1Formal, legal, religious, literary
Definition
Meaning
Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone who is not their spouse.
The act of breaking the marriage vow of sexual fidelity; betrayal of the marriage bed. Figuratively, it can be used to denote a profound breach of trust or loyalty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically, and in some legal/religious contexts, the term has been applied more strictly to a married woman's extramarital sex. Modern usage is generally gender-neutral. It refers specifically to a sexual act, not emotional infidelity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition or legal application. The term 'criminal conversation' was a historical tort for adultery in both jurisdictions but is now obsolete.
Connotations
Strong moral and religious connotations in both varieties. Slightly more likely to appear in a formal/legal context in the UK; in the US, it retains a strong association with religious condemnation.
Frequency
Low frequency in casual conversation in both regions, appearing more in news, legal texts, and religious discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
commit [adultery]be guilty of [adultery][adultery] with [person]accuse someone of [adultery]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Caught] in the act”
- “Two-timing (one's spouse)”
- “Playing away (from home) (UK informal)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in contexts like employment law (e.g., dismissal for misconduct) or public scandal affecting a company figure.
Academic
Used in sociology, law, theology, and literature studies to discuss marriage, gender norms, and social morality.
Everyday
A serious, formal word. In casual talk, people say 'cheating', 'having an affair', or 'being unfaithful'.
Technical
A specific legal ground for divorce in some jurisdictions; a term in canon law and moral theology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The petition stated that the respondent had adulterated with a named co-respondent.
American English
- The law no longer requires a spouse to prove the other adulterated.
adverb
British English
- He was accused of behaving adulterously for years.
American English
- She claimed he had been living adulterously since last spring.
adjective
British English
- He sought a divorce on adulterous grounds.
- The adulterous liaison was discovered.
American English
- She filed for divorce citing adulterous behavior.
- The scandal revealed his adulterous relationships.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Contextual) In some stories, a king gets angry if there is adultery.
- He left his wife after he discovered her adultery.
- Adultery is a reason for divorce in many countries.
- The politician's career was ruined by allegations of adultery.
- Historically, the consequences for adultery were far more severe for women than for men.
- The novel explores the psychological torment of a woman trapped in a marriage where her husband's repeated adultery is an open secret.
- The lawyer argued that the single instance of adultery did not constitute irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ADULT + very (pronounced like 'tery') → an adult doing something VERY serious that breaks a marriage vow.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A CONTRACT/COVENANT → Adultery is a BREACH/CONTRACT VIOLATION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'прелюбодеяние' which is a direct, archaic/religious equivalent. More common Russian terms are 'измена' (betrayal/infidelity) or 'супружеская измена'. 'Адьюльтери' is not a Russian word.
- The noun 'adultery' is the act. The person is an 'adulterer' (m) or 'adulteress' (f).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'adultery' to describe cheating in a non-marital relationship (use 'cheating').
- Using the plural 'adulteries' is grammatically correct but rare; 'acts of adultery' is more common.
- Confusing with 'adulterate' (to corrupt by adding inferior substances).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'adultery' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In most Western countries, it is no longer a criminal offence, but it remains a ground for divorce. It is still criminalised in some US states (rarely enforced) and many countries with religious legal systems.
Adultery involves at least one married person. Fornication refers to sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other (and not married to anyone else).
No, by definition, adultery requires at least one participant to be married. A single person having sex with a married person is committing adultery (the married person is).
Historically, a male offender was an 'adulterer', a female an 'adulteress'. 'Adulterer' is now often used as a gender-neutral term, though 'adulteress' is still found.
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