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Meaning & use

wedlock

noun·Advancedformalold-fashioned

Last updated

UK/ˈwed.lɒk/
US/ˈwed.lɑːk/

Meanings

  1. noununcountableformalold-fashioned

    The condition of being legally married to someone.

    Grammar: Uncountable and used mainly in set phrases, especially out of wedlock.

    Patterns

    • in wedlock
    • out of wedlock
    • born in wedlock

    The couple lived together in wedlock for fifty years.

    Old laws once treated children born outside wedlock differently.

    The priest spoke about the sacredness of wedlock.

  2. nounfixed phraseold-fashioned

    The state of being unmarried when a child is born, used in the phrase out of wedlock.

    Grammar: Almost always in out of wedlock; it can sound dated or judgmental today.

    Patterns

    • born out of wedlock
    • have a child out of wedlock

    Records show that she was born out of wedlock in 1890.

    In the past, having a child out of wedlock caused shame in many places.

    The story is about a king's son born out of wedlock.

Common combinations

out of wedlock
The law was changed to protect children born out of wedlock.
born in wedlock
Only children born in wedlock could inherit the title.
in holy wedlock
They were joined in holy wedlock at the village church.
outside wedlock
The couple had a child outside wedlock.
bliss of wedlock
The poem praises the bliss of wedlock.

Synonyms and how they differ

marriage
Marriage is the normal, neutral word used in all kinds of speech, while wedlock sounds formal or legalistic.
matrimony
Matrimony is a formal and religious word, used in phrases like holy matrimony.
union
Union is broader and can describe any joining, though it suits formal talk of marriage.

Opposites

singlehood

Word family

wed verb
to marry, mostly in news and formal writing
wedding noun
the ceremony of getting married
wedded adjective
married, or firmly attached to something
unwed adjective
not married

Commonly confused: wedlock or deadlock? wedlock or padlock?

wedlock vs deadlock

Deadlock is a situation where no progress is possible, and it only sounds similar to wedlock.

wedlock vs padlock

A padlock is a removable lock, while wedlock has nothing to do with locks despite the ending.

Practice

In older records, a child born ____ wedlock was often treated differently by the law.

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