trigamy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / TechnicalFormal, Academic, Legal
Quick answer
What does “trigamy” mean?
The state of being married to three spouses simultaneously.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The state of being married to three spouses simultaneously.
In a legal or social context, it refers to a marriage involving three partners at once, which is illegal in virtually all countries. In biology, it can refer to a mating system where an individual has three mates. More broadly, it can be used metaphorically for any triple commitment or alliance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. US legal texts may reference it slightly more frequently due to specific case law in polygamous communities. In UK contexts, it is more often discussed in historical or anthropological studies of other cultures.
Connotations
Both regions strongly associate it with illegality. In the US, there is a stronger immediate connection to certain religious groups (e.g., fundamentalist Mormon offshoots). In the UK, the connotation is more abstractly legal or tied to discussions of former colonies.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both regions, appearing primarily in specialized texts.
Grammar
How to Use “trigamy” in a Sentence
[Subject] practiced trigamy.The law prohibits trigamy.He was convicted for trigamy.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trigamy” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The anthropologist documented a rare case of societal trigamy in the historical record.
- His defence argued that the archaic law against trigamy was no longer applicable.
American English
- The state's statute on trigamy is rarely invoked but remains on the books.
- The sect's practice of trigamy led to a high-profile federal raid.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in anthropology, sociology, law, and religious studies to describe specific marital structures.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would likely be used in news reports about unusual legal cases.
Technical
Used in precise legal indictments or academic classifications of marriage systems.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trigamy”
- Using 'trigamy' to refer to being married three times sequentially (which is serial monogamy or three marriages). Trigamy specifically implies concurrency.
- Confusing it with 'polygamy', which is the broader hypernym.
- Misspelling as 'trigammy' or 'trygamy'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Polygamy is the general term for having multiple spouses. Trigamy is a specific type of polygamy involving exactly three spouses simultaneously.
No. Having three sequential marriages (marry, divorce, remarry, divorce, remarry) is serial monogamy. Trigamy requires all three marriages to be legally or socially recognized as concurrent.
It is primarily used in legal contexts (for charges), anthropology (describing marriage systems), sociology, and religious studies.
Yes, though extremely rare. A 'trigamist' is a person who practices or is guilty of trigamy.
The state of being married to three spouses simultaneously.
Trigamy is usually formal, academic, legal in register.
Trigamy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪɡəmi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtrɪɡəmi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's trying to have his cake and eat it twice over (informal, metaphorical extension).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRIangle made by a marriage of THREE (TRI) people. TRI + GAMY (marriage, as in monogamy, bigamy).
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMITMENT IS A BOND (with the specific nuance of an illegal or socially unacceptable triple bond).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios accurately describes trigamy?