communal marriage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Academic / Technical
Quick answer
What does “communal marriage” mean?
A marital arrangement or social system in which multiple men and multiple women are considered married to each other, sharing conjugal rights and responsibilities as a single group.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A marital arrangement or social system in which multiple men and multiple women are considered married to each other, sharing conjugal rights and responsibilities as a single group.
A form of polygamy where all members of a community or defined group are considered spouses to one another; historically used in anthropological and sociological contexts to describe certain tribal or utopian social structures. Can also refer metaphorically to extreme forms of shared living arrangements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning, but the term appears more frequently in British anthropological literature (e.g., works on African tribes). In American discourse, it might be more associated with historical descriptions of utopian communes (e.g., Oneida Community).
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of historical/antiquated social systems or radical experimental communities. Neutral in academic contexts; potentially pejorative in everyday use.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both; slightly higher in UK academic anthropology.
Grammar
How to Use “communal marriage” in a Sentence
communal marriage among + [PEOPLE/GROUP]communal marriage in + [SOCIETY/COMMUNE]the practice of communal marriageVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “communal marriage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The tribe was said to practise communal marriage.
American English
- The commune instituted a form of communal marriage.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form. Use 'in a communally marital way' is non-standard]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- They studied the communal-marriage customs of the ancient tribe.
American English
- The researcher wrote about communal-marriage systems.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Primary context: Anthropology, Sociology, History of Religion. Used to classify marriage systems in certain tribal societies or historical utopian experiments.
Everyday
Rare. If used, often in a sensationalist or critical way to describe unconventional living arrangements.
Technical
Specific term in ethnology and kinship studies. Requires precise definition, as it describes a particular type of non-monogamous marital structure.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “communal marriage”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “communal marriage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “communal marriage”
- Using it to describe polygyny (one man, multiple wives) or polyandry (one woman, multiple husbands)—communal marriage is multi-male, multi-female.
- Using it as a synonym for modern polyamory or open relationships, which are based on individual choice rather than a collective social system.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No country legally recognises communal marriage as a formal marital status. The term describes social practices, not a modern legal category.
Polygamy is a broad term for marriage to multiple partners. Communal marriage is a specific type of polygamy (specifically, 'group marriage') involving multiple husbands and multiple wives in a single, collective unit.
The Oneida Community (1848–1881) in the United States practised a form called 'complex marriage'. Some anthropologists have also described certain Aboriginal Australian or Amazonian tribal structures using this term, though its accuracy is debated.
It is not recommended. 'Communal marriage' is an anthropological term for an institutionalised system. Modern polyamorous arrangements are typically based on individual relationship networks, not a formal, collective marital status ascribed by the whole society.
A marital arrangement or social system in which multiple men and multiple women are considered married to each other, sharing conjugal rights and responsibilities as a single group.
Communal marriage is usually academic / technical in register.
Communal marriage: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒmjənəl ˈmærɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈmjunəl ˈmærɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a COMMUNE where ALL adults are MARRIED to each other → COMMUNAL MARRIAGE.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A SHARED RESOURCE (like communal land or food).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'communal marriage' in its technical sense?