Marriage that occurs after a previous marriage has ended, particularly through death or divorce; a subsequent marriage.
Compound of 'after' (Old English æfter) and 'marriage' (Old French mariage, from Latin maritatus meaning joined in marriage). Formed to distinguish remarriage from first marriage.
Historically, aftermarriage was extremely common because of high mortality rates—widows and widowers remarrying was normal, not shameful, and produced the complex family dynamics that inspired fairy tales like Cinderella!
Post-marriage dynamics historically documented women's loss of legal autonomy; language around 'aftermarriage' often assumes female domestic role as default continuation.
Discuss post-marital relationships with explicit attention to both partners' agency and changing roles.
["post-marriage partnership","ongoing marriage"]
Women's legal personhood in marriage was secured through century-long activism; acknowledge this when discussing marital dynamics.
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