Definition and Pronunciation
Exogamy is the custom or practice of marrying outside a particular social, cultural, ethnic, religious, tribal, caste, clan, or other defined group. People who practice exogamy choose or are expected to marry someone from a different group, often to strengthen social connections, expand family networks, or comply with cultural or legal traditions.
Pronunciation: ek-SOG-uh-mee
Easy Explanation
Exogamy means marrying someone from outside your own group.
For example, a person may marry someone from a different religion, ethnicity, tribe, clan, nationality, or social class. In some cultures, exogamy is encouraged or required to avoid marriage within close family or kinship groups and to promote broader social relationships.
Exogamy is a marriage practice, not a type of romantic attraction or sexual orientation.
Grammatical Formation
- Part of speech: Noun
- Related adjective: Exogamous
- Related noun: Exogamist (less common)
- Related terms:Endogamy, marriage, kinship
Word Comparisons
Exogamy vs. Endogamy
Exogamy is the practice of marrying outside a particular social or cultural group. Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a particular group.
Exogamy vs. Arranged Marriage
Exogamy describes who people marry (outside a defined group). Arranged marriage describes how a spouse is selected, often with the involvement of family members or matchmakers. An arranged marriage may be either exogamous or endogamous.
Exogamy vs. Interfaith Marriage
An interfaith marriage is a marriage between people of different religions. It is one form of religious exogamy, but exogamy also includes marriages across different ethnic, tribal, clan, caste, or social groups.
Exogamy vs. Interethnic Marriage
An interethnic marriage is a marriage between people of different ethnic groups. It is one form of ethnic exogamy, but exogamy is a broader concept that includes many other types of outside-group marriages.
Connotations
The term exogamy has a neutral anthropological and sociological meaning. It is commonly used in anthropology, sociology, history, demography, and family studies to describe patterns of marriage rather than to express approval or criticism.
Meaning with Prepositions
Exogamy between
Example: Exogamy between neighboring communities strengthened social ties.
Exogamy among
Example: Researchers examined exogamy among different tribal groups.
Exogamy in
Example: Exogamy is common in many societies around the world.
Exogamy outside
Example: Some traditions encourage exogamy outside one’s clan.
Real-Life Examples
Many cultures prohibit marriage within the same clan and encourage individuals to marry someone from another clan. Some societies promote marriages between different communities to strengthen social cooperation. In modern multicultural societies, marriages between people of different religions, ethnicities, or nationalities are common examples of exogamy.
Synonyms
- Out-group marriage
- Outside-group marriage
- Intergroup marriage
- Out-marriage (less common)
Antonyms
- Endogamy
- In-group marriage
- Within-group marriage
Related Terms
- Endogamy
- Marriage
- Arranged marriage
- Interfaith marriage
- Interethnic marriage
- Kinship
- Clan
- Lineage
- Family
- Culture
- Religion
- Ethnicity
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Human sexuality
Common Collocations
- Exogamy
- Exogamous marriage
- Practice of exogamy
- Clan exogamy
- Religious exogamy
- Cultural exogamy
- Ethnic exogamy
- Exogamy and kinship
- Exogamy rules
- Exogamy traditions
- Exogamy research
- Exogamy patterns
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
Exogamy is an anthropological and sociological term. It has no established idiomatic or figurative meaning.
Sample Sentences
- Exogamy has been practiced in many societies throughout history.
- Some cultures require exogamy between different clans.
- Exogamy differs from arranged marriage.
- Marriage customs vary across cultures.
- Researchers study exogamy to understand social organization.
- Interfaith marriages are one example of religious exogamy.
- Cultural traditions influence marriage patterns.
- Understanding exogamy helps explain the diversity of family systems.
Connection to Sexuality
Exogamy is a marriage practice and social custom, not a sexual orientation, gender identity, or sexual behavior. It describes the social or cultural criteria for selecting a marriage partner rather than whom a person is romantically or sexually attracted to.
Understanding exogamy helps distinguish between marriage customs, family structures, sexual orientation, gender identity, and humansexuality. Learning about different marriage traditions promotes a broader understanding of culture, society, relationships, and family life.
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