boston marriage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (historical/specialized)Historical, Academic, Literary
Quick answer
What does “boston marriage” mean?
A historically used term for a long-term cohabiting relationship between two unmarried women, often with emotional and economic independence, in late 19th- and early 20th-century New England.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historically used term for a long-term cohabiting relationship between two unmarried women, often with emotional and economic independence, in late 19th- and early 20th-century New England.
A historical arrangement where two women lived together, sharing a household and life, independent of men. While the term does not inherently specify the nature of their romantic or sexual relationship, it is often retrospectively associated with or used to describe romantic partnerships between women in contexts where such relationships were not publicly acknowledged.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originates from and refers specifically to an American social phenomenon. It is not a native British term. In British historical or academic writing, it is used as a borrowed Americanism to describe a similar arrangement if discussing US history or in comparative studies.
Connotations
In American usage: specific historical/social context of New England. In British usage: recognised mainly as an American historical term.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general British English; slightly more likely to be encountered in American historical or queer studies contexts, but still very low frequency overall.
Grammar
How to Use “boston marriage” in a Sentence
to live in a Boston marriageto be in a Boston marriagea Boston marriage between X and YVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “boston marriage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The two writers were said to have Boston-married for over twenty years. (very rare, non-standard)
American English
- They chose to Boston-marry, setting up a household in Cambridge. (very rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- They lived Boston-marriage-style for decades. (extremely rare/invented)
American English
- They lived together, Boston-marriage-like, in the old Beacon Hill house. (extremely rare/invented)
adjective
British English
- Their Boston-marriage arrangement was well known in their social circle. (rare, attributive use)
American English
- She studied Boston-marriage households in her historical research. (rare, attributive use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in history, gender studies, literature, and queer theory to analyse historical relationships and social structures.
Everyday
Virtually never used in contemporary conversation unless discussing specific history.
Technical
A technical/historical term within specific academic fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “boston marriage”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “boston marriage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “boston marriage”
- Using it to describe any modern lesbian relationship (anachronistic).
- Assuming it always implied a sexual relationship (the historical evidence is varied and often ambiguous).
- Capitalising it inconsistently (often treated as a proper noun: Boston Marriage).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. The term describes the living arrangement and social independence. While some such relationships were undoubtedly romantic and sexual, others were deep, committed friendships or economic partnerships. Historians caution against applying modern sexual identities anachronistically.
It is almost exclusively used in historical, academic, or literary discussion. It is not a term used to describe contemporary relationships.
The term is associated with Boston, Massachusetts, and the wider New England area in the US, where such arrangements were noted among educated, often financially independent women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
No, it is historically specific to women. Similar arrangements between men in history might be described with other terms, such as 'romantic friendship' or, more anachronistically, 'homosocial bonding'.
A historically used term for a long-term cohabiting relationship between two unmarried women, often with emotional and economic independence, in late 19th- and early 20th-century New England.
Boston marriage is usually historical, academic, literary in register.
Boston marriage: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbɒstən ˈmær.ɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbɔː.stən ˈmer.ɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of Boston in the 1800s: two women sharing a home and life, forming their own kind of 'marriage' outside the conventional law.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A COHABITING PARTNERSHIP (extended to non-legal, same-sex historical contexts).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'Boston marriage' most accurately used?