monogamy
noun
mo·nog·a·my
| \ mə-ˈnä-gə-mē
\
\
Definition of monogamy
1a
: the state or practice of having only one sexual partner at a time
young couples who practice monogamy
b
: the state or custom of being married to only one person at a time
c
zoology
: the condition or practice of having a single mate during a period of time
Monogamy is common among birds.
2
archaic
: the practice of marrying only once during a lifetime
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Examples of monogamy in a Sentence
young couples who practice monogamy
Monogamy is common among birds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps the most famous member of Boas’s anthropological circle was Margaret Mead, who wrote prolifically from the 1920s until the 1970s, relating anthropology to contemporary issues such as monogamy and teenage rebellion. — Rachel Newcomb, Washington Post, "The social scientists who transformed how we think about race and gender," 16 Aug. 2019 An Anthology, coined terms for two types of monogamy: reflexive and radical. — Zachary Zane, Allure, "Being in a Polyamorous Relationship Prepared Me for Monogamy," 17 June 2019 And is monogamy — as explained by Vox on Netflix — no longer attainable or desirable? — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, "Marriage and Fidelity in the Internet Age," 6 Aug. 2019 But the Roman faith doesn’t seem to have left much mark on him, to judge by the prime minister’s professed indifference to monogamy. — The Economist, "Boris Johnson’s confusing and contradictory religious history," 27 July 2019 This is not the first time Willow has discussed her sexuality and feelings about monogamy publically. — Morgan Paige, Essence, "The 'Red Table Talk' Keeps It All The Way Real About Polyamory And Threesomes In A New Episode," 26 June 2019 Those who practice it describe it as responsible and ethical non-monogamy. — Alex Kuczynski, Harper's BAZAAR, "Inside the Rise of Polyamory Relationships," 30 Apr. 2019 Getty Images Here’s a fun fact: The concept of monogamy is a relatively new one. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "The "Wonderful Weirdness" of Female Sexuality," 23 Oct. 2018 In the United States, women appear to be the leaders of the polyamory movement, and many therapists and other experts report women are often the ones making the suggestion to open up their marriages or explore consensual non-monogamy, experts say. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "The "Wonderful Weirdness" of Female Sexuality," 23 Oct. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monogamy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for monogamy
monogamy
noun
English Language Learners Definition of monogamy
: the state or practice of being married to only one person at a time
: the state or practice of having only one sexual partner during a period of time
See the full definition for monogamy in the English Language Learners Dictionary
monogamy
noun
mo·nog·a·my
| \ -mē
\
\
plural monogamies
Medical Definition of monogamy
: the state or custom of being married to one person at a time or of having only one mate at a time
Other Words from monogamy
monogamous
\ mə-ˈnäg-ə-məs
\
also monogamic \ ˌmän-ə-ˈgam-ik
\
adjective
\
also monogamic \ ˌmän-ə-ˈgam-ik
\
adjective
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