misogamy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareFormal, Literary
Quick answer
What does “misogamy” mean?
Hatred of, aversion to, or strong dislike of marriage.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Hatred of, aversion to, or strong dislike of marriage.
Can also refer to a general dislike or distrust of the institution of marriage or the state of being married.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral to academic in tone. Carries no specific regional or cultural connotation beyond the definition.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora, found almost exclusively in academic, literary, or high-register journalistic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “misogamy” in a Sentence
Noun of state/condition; often used as the object of a verb (e.g., 'profess misogamy') or in prepositional phrases (e.g., 'driven by misogamy').Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “misogamy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was often accused of misogamising, though he simply preferred his own company.
- The character in the novel seems to misogamise as a reaction to his parents' failed marriage.
American English
- The essay misogamizes the traditional wedding industry.
- He doesn't just avoid marriage; he actively misogamizes in his writing.
adverb
British English
- He argued misogamously against the proposed tax benefits for married couples.
- She wrote misogamously about the societal pressure to wed.
American English
- He spoke misogamously of his brief, unhappy marriage.
- The book's conclusion is framed quite misogamously.
adjective
British English
- His misogamous views made him a controversial figure in the family-oriented community.
- The pamphlet put forth a strongly misogamous philosophy.
American English
- She held misogamous beliefs, viewing marriage as an outdated institution.
- His misogamous stance was clear from his frequent critical essays.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in sociology, gender studies, literature, and philosophy to describe a character trait, social attitude, or philosophical position.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely to be used in casual conversation.
Technical
A precise, label-like term in the fields mentioned above.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “misogamy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “misogamy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “misogamy”
- Confusing it with 'misogyny'.
- Using it to mean simply 'not wanting to get married' (which is weaker than 'hatred').
- Trying to use it as a verb or adjective (*to misogamise, *misogamous). The related adjective is 'misogamous'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Misogyny is hatred or prejudice against *women*. Misogamy is hatred or strong dislike of *marriage*. They share the prefix 'miso-' (hatred), but have different roots: '-gyny' (woman) vs. '-gamy' (marriage).
No, it is a rare, formal, and somewhat literary or academic word. In everyday conversation, people would use phrases like 'hatred of marriage' or 'dead against getting married' instead.
Absolutely. Misogamy is a gender-neutral term. It describes an attitude towards the institution of marriage, not towards a gender.
Yes. The related adjective is 'misogamous'. The opposite is 'philogamy' (love of marriage). It belongs to a family of '-gamy' words: monogamy, polygamy, bigamy, all relating to marriage practices.
Hatred of, aversion to, or strong dislike of marriage.
Misogamy is usually formal, literary in register.
Misogamy: in British English it is pronounced /mɪˈsɒɡəmi/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɪˈsɑːɡəmi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. Related concepts: 'bachelor for life', 'confirmed bachelor/spinster' (though these describe a state, not necessarily the hatred of it).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: MISOGAMY = MISO- (hatred, like in 'misogyny') + -GAMY (marriage, like in 'monogamy'). So, it's hatred of marriage.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A PRISON/TRAP (for the misogamist).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'misogamy'?