Meaning & use
matrimonial
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Connected with marriage or with the relationship between husband and wife.
Grammar: Almost always sits before a noun: a matrimonial home, not the home is matrimonial.
Patterns
- matrimonial home
- matrimonial dispute
The couple sold their matrimonial home after the separation.
A matrimonial lawyer advised her on the divorce settlement.
They held matrimonial vows in front of close friends.
adjectivebefore a nounIndian
Related to the process of finding a spouse, especially in newspaper or online advertisements.
Grammar: Used in set expressions: a matrimonial site, matrimonial ads.
Patterns
- matrimonial site
- matrimonial ads
Her parents placed a matrimonial advertisement in the Sunday paper.
He created a profile on a matrimonial website.
Matrimonial columns still list thousands of families looking for partners.
Common combinations
- matrimonial home
- Both spouses have rights to the matrimonial home.
- matrimonial law
- She studied matrimonial law at university.
- matrimonial bliss
- They enjoyed years of matrimonial bliss.
- matrimonial dispute
- The court handles each matrimonial dispute privately.
- matrimonial ties
- Matrimonial ties bound the two families together.
Synonyms and how they differ
- marital
- Marital is the everyday word for matters of marriage, while matrimonial sounds more official or old-fashioned.
- conjugal
- Conjugal focuses on the intimate relationship between spouses, whereas matrimonial covers the legal and ceremonial side too.
- nuptial
- Nuptial refers mainly to the wedding itself, while matrimonial relates to marriage as a continuing state.
- wedded
- Wedded describes the people or state of being married and is less formal than matrimonial.
Opposites
Word family
- matrimony noun
- the state of being married
- matrimonially adverb
- in a way connected to marriage
Commonly confused: matrimonial or patrimonial? matrimonial or matriarchal?
matrimonial vs patrimonial
Patrimonial means inherited from a father or ancestors; matrimonial means related to marriage.
matrimonial vs matriarchal
Matriarchal describes a society led by women, not marriage.
Practice
Which phrase best fits the word matrimonial?
Choose one answer.
Matrimonial relates to marriage, so only the agreement between spouses makes sense. The other nouns have no link to marriage.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “matrimonial”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.