Wedlock is the state of being married. Holy wedlock, born out of wedlock, joined in wedlock.
It is archaic and survives in two phrases: holy wedlock in the service and born out of wedlock, which once carried real legal disadvantage and now carries none in most countries. The lock in it is not a lock at all but an old ending meaning an action.
1nounwedlockThe state of being married.
“After fifty years of wedlock, they still held hands on their evening walks.”
wedlock is a state.
Old English wedlac, from wed, a pledge, plus -lac, an ending meaning an action or proceeding.
Old English
wedlāc — marriage vow, pledge, plighted troth, wedlock
Middle English
wedlok
English, today
wedlock
Built from
From Middle English wedlok, wedlocke (“wedlock, marriage, matrimony”), from Old English wedlāc (“marriage vow, pledge, plighted troth, wedlock”). by surface analysis, wed + -lock.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA