Bigamists

/ˈbɪɡəmɪsts/ noun

Definition

Plural of bigamist; multiple people who are married to two people simultaneously or who have multiple marriages.

Etymology

Standard English plural of 'bigamist', formed by adding '-s'. The singular 'bigamist' comes from Medieval Latin 'bigamista'.

Kelly Says

Census records and court dockets reveal surprisingly high numbers of bigamists in frontier America and during wartime, when people could disappear and start new lives far away before records centralized.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Legal and moral condemnation of bigamy applied unevenly by gender; women faced harsher social penalties and had fewer legal protections in plural marriage situations than men in most historical contexts.

Inclusive Usage

Use plainly, but when referencing groups or historical cases, note gender where it shaped legal or social outcomes.

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