Definition and Pronunciation
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which one man is married to two or more women at the same time. It is one type of polygamy and has been practiced in various cultures and religious traditions throughout history. Today, polygyny remains legal in some countries and communities but is prohibited in many others.
Pronunciation: puh-LIJ-uh-nee
Easy Explanation
Polygyny is a marriage system in which one man has multiple wives simultaneously. It is different from relationships involving multiple partners because polygyny specifically refers to a marital arrangement.
The practice has existed in different societies for cultural, religious, economic, or historical reasons. The legal status of polygyny varies from one country or jurisdiction to another.
Grammatical Formation
- Part of speech: Noun
- Related adjective: Polygynous
- Related noun: Polygynist (less common; a person who practices or supports polygyny)
- Related terms: Polygamy, polyandry, monogamy
Word Comparisons
Polygyny vs. Polyandry
Polygyny is a marriage involving one man and multiple wives. Polyandry is a marriage involving one woman and multiple husbands.
Polygyny vs. Polygamy
Polygamy is the general term for marriage involving more than two spouses. Polygyny is one specific form of polygamy.
Polygyny vs. Polyamory
Polygyny is a marital system. Polyamory refers to consensualromantic relationships involving more than two people and does not necessarily involve marriage.
Polygyny vs. Monogamy
Monogamy is a marriage or relationship between two people only. Polygyny involves one man being married to multiple women simultaneously.
Connotations
The term polygyny has a neutral anthropological and legal meaning. It is commonly used in sociology, anthropology, history, comparative religion, family law, and studies of human relationships.
Meaning with Prepositions
Polygyny in
Example: Polygyny has been practiced in various societies throughout history.
Polygyny among
Example: Researchers have studied polygyny among different cultural groups.
Polygyny as
Example: Some historians describe polygyny as a traditional family structure in certain societies.
Polygyny within
Example: Polygyny continues within some cultural and religious communities.
Real-Life Examples
Historically, polygyny has been practiced in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere under different cultural or religious traditions. Today, some countries legally recognize polygynous marriages, while many others prohibit them by law. The legal rights and responsibilities of spouses in polygynous marriages vary according to local laws.
Synonyms
There is no exact synonym for polygyny, but related terms include:
- Polygynous marriage
- Multiple-wife marriage (descriptive phrase)
- Plural marriage(context-dependent)
Antonyms
- Monogamy
- Polyandry (contrasting form of polygamy)
Related Terms
- Polygamy
- Polyandry
- Monogamy
- Polyamory
- Marriage
- Husband
- Wife
- Family
- Relationship
- Kinship
- Anthropology
- Culture
- Family law
- Religion
- Human sexuality
Common Collocations
- Polygyny
- Polygynous marriage
- Practice of polygyny
- Traditional polygyny
- Polygyny in anthropology
- Polygyny in history
- Polygyny and religion
- Polygyny and family structure
- Polygyny research
- Polygyny customs
- Polygyny societies
- Legal polygyny
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
Polygyny is an anthropological and legal term. It has no established idiomatic or figurative meaning.
Sample Sentences
- Polygyny is one form of polygamy.
- In a polygynous marriage, one man has multiple wives.
- Polygyny has been practiced in different cultures throughout history.
- The legal status of polygyny varies around the world.
- Most countries recognize only monogamous marriage.
- Anthropologists study polygyny as part of family and kinship systems.
- Marriage customs differ across societies and historical periods.
- Understanding polygyny helps explain the diversity of human family structures.
Connection to Sexuality
Polygyny is a form of marriage and family structure, not a sexual orientation or gender identity. It concerns the legal, cultural, or religious organization of marriage rather than whom a person is attracted to.
Understanding polygyny helps distinguish between marital systems, relationship structures, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Studying different forms of marriage contributes to a broader understanding of culture, family life, and human sexuality.
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