Meaning & use
out of wedlock
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Born to parents who are not married to each other.
Grammar: Used after a noun or after verbs like be born: a child born out of wedlock.
Patterns
- born out of wedlock
- a child out of wedlock
The novel tells the story of a woman who had a child out of wedlock in the 1950s.
In some cultures, being born out of wedlock still carries social stigma.
The law was changed to give equal rights to children born out of wedlock.
Common combinations
- born out of wedlock
- He was born out of wedlock and raised by his grandparents.
- a child out of wedlock
- The king had several children out of wedlock.
- pregnancy out of wedlock
- In those days, a pregnancy out of wedlock was considered scandalous.
Synonyms and how they differ
- illegitimate
- An older legal term that is now often considered offensive; 'out of wedlock' is more neutral.
- born outside marriage
- A neutral phrase with the same meaning, often used in formal writing.
Opposites
Commonly confused: out of wedlock or out of marriage?
out of wedlock vs out of marriage
Not a standard phrase; use 'out of wedlock' or 'outside marriage' instead.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'out of wedlock' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Out of wedlock' means born to parents who are not married to each other. Option 3 correctly states that the parents were unmarried. Option 1 is vague, option 2 contradicts the meaning, and option 4 is about who raised her, not her parents' marital status.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of wedlock”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.