Other forms: marriages
Marriage is the legal relationship between two people who have married. A long marriage, their marriage ended, marriage certificate.
In England and Wales same-sex marriage has been lawful since 2014, and civil partnership is a separate legal status available to any couple. A marriage of convenience is one entered for practical reasons. Figuratively, a marriage of two things is a successful combination. Note married, marry; marriage guidance; and that the average British marriage now lasts about twelve years, which is longer than most people assume.
1nounmarriageThe legal relationship between two married people.
“The marriage lasted about forty-one years.”
2nounsuccessfulA successful combination of two things.
“The dish is a marriage of Indian spices and French cooking.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
marriage is a formal union.
Old French mariage comes from Latin maritare, to marry, from maritus, a husband. The word entered English after the Norman conquest and replaced older native terms almost entirely.
Latin
marītō — marry
Old French
mariage
Middle English
mariage
English, today
marriage
Built from
From Middle English mariage, from Old French mariage, from marier (“to marry”), from Latin marītō (“marry”) literally “give in marriage”, from maritus (“lover”, “nuptial”), from mas (“male, masculine, of the male sex”). Equivalent to marry + age. a doublet of maritage. Displaced native sinsċipe.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA