intermarriage
|in-ter-mar-riage|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪn.tərˈmær.ɪdʒ/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪn.təˈmær.ɪdʒ/
marriage between different groups
Etymology
'intermarriage' originates from the Latin prefix 'inter' (specifically the Latin word 'inter', meaning 'between') combined with 'marriage', which comes via Old French 'mariage' from Latin 'maritare' (meaning 'to provide with a husband or wife, to marry').
'intermarriage' developed from the verb 'intermarry' (Middle English forms such as 'intermarien') and the noun 'marriage' (from Old French 'mariage' and Latin 'maritare'), eventually forming the compound noun 'intermarriage' in modern English.
Initially, the term referred broadly to marriage between different families or groups; over time it has come to be used especially for marriages crossing boundaries of race, religion, nationality, or ethnicity.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a marriage between people of different racial, religious, ethnic, or national groups (often used in discussions of social demographics).
Intermarriage between the two communities has increased over the last few decades.
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Noun 2
a marriage used historically or socially to join different families, clans, or social groups (e.g., alliances formed by marriage).
In some periods, intermarriage among noble families was a common way to secure political alliances.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 20:21