Definition and pronunciation
fornicate — verb (intransitive): to have sexual intercourse, especially outside marriage; often used in religious, moral, or legal language.
Pronounced /ˈfɔːr-nɪ-keɪt/.
Easy explanation
Fornicate is a formal, old-sounding verb that means to have sex, usually with the moral idea “outside marriage.” In everyday speech, people rarely use it; they say have sex, sleep with, or make love instead.
Part of speech and grammar
- Verb (irregular only in derivation): fornicate – fornicated – fornicated; fornicating.
- Typically intransitive: They fornicated (formal/archaic).
- With partner: fornicate with [someone] (bookish/archaic).
- Fixed collocation: commit fornication (legalistic/biblical).
- Derivatives: fornication (noun), fornicatory (adjective), fornicator (noun).
Register and tone
Formal, archaic, and judgment-tinged. It appears in scripture translations, sermons, legal codes, and morality debates. In neutral communication—education, journalism, healthcare—prefer have sex or sexual intercourse.
Connection to sexuality
Direct. The verb refers to sex between consenting adults, historically marked as premarital. It does not specify type (vaginal/anal/oral) unless modified; medical contexts avoid it in favor of precise terms.
Common collocations
- commit fornication, acts of fornication
- fornicate with [someone]
- fornication laws/statutes (historical/legal)
- adultery and fornication (paired in moral/legal writing)
- fornicatory behavior, fornicator
Idioms and set phrases
- commit fornication — formal phrase for engaging in sex (outside marriage)
- adultery vs. fornication — common paired terms in moral codes
Prepositions and nuance
- fornicate with [someone] — names a partner; very formal or archaic.
- fornicate before/outside marriage — adds the moral framing explicitly.
- fornication against [law/teaching] — ties the act to a code or doctrine (legalistic or religious).
- Contrast: fornicate (premarital in older usage) vs commit adultery (sex where at least one party is married to someone else).
Word comparisons
- have sex / sleep with / make love — modern, neutral or romantic; recommended in most contexts.
- have (sexual) intercourse — clinical/formal and precise.
- copulate — biological/technical; species-neutral.
- adultery — sex where at least one partner is married to another person.
- promiscuity — frequency/variety of partners, not a single act.
- fornication — the noun; historically “sex outside marriage.”
Real-life examples
- The ordinance once banned fornication but was later repealed.
- The translation uses “fornication” where newer versions say “sexual immorality.”
- Editors replaced “fornicated with” with “had sex with” to avoid moral coloring.
- A historian traced how courts prosecuted fornication and adultery differently.
Sample sentences
- The preacher condemned fornication in his sermon.
- Legal scholars note that “fornicate” is archaic and unclear in modern law.
- The article avoided moral terms and said the characters had sex.
- She argued that labeling behavior as “fornication” imposes judgment.
Synonyms
have sex, have sexual intercourse, sleep with, make love, copulate, engage in sexual relations
Antonyms
abstain, remain celibate, practice chastity, refrain, be platonic
Related terms
fornication, adultery, premarital sex, extramarital sex, chastity, celibacy, sexual intercourse, consent, morality, sexual ethics, doctrinal teaching
Notes and etiquette
Use fornicate only when you intentionally want the historical/religious register (quoting sources, discussing law or doctrine). Otherwise choose clear, nonjudgmental language (have sex, sexual intercourse) and specify consent, protection, and context when relevant.
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