Word of the Day: Digamy

(Noun) Pronunciation: ['di-gê-mi]

Definition: A second marriage after a divorce or the passing of a spouse, deuterogamy.

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Usage: Bigamy is marriage to two spouses simultaneously; digamy is marriage to two spouses in succession. Polygamy is marriage to several partners simultaneously—"polygyny" refers to having several wives while "polyandry" refers to having several husbands. The adjective for today's noun is "digamous" and sounds like "bigamous."

Suggested Usage: The English language is rich in words referring to multiple spouses; clearly spousal affiliation is an important social issue among us and we must have terms to refer to all its aspects. Digamy has become almost as common as marriage since the more or less united states of North America began legalizing divorce in the 60s. "All my friends become digamous so fast, it is difficult to say that that none are bigamous." Digamy has become an aspect of family life that many US families in the post-Vietnam era have had to make allowances for.

Etymology: From Greek digamia "marriage twice" based on dis "twice" + gamos "marriage." The synonym of today's word, "deuterogamy," comes from Greek deuteros "second" + "gamos" and is related to the name of the fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy from Greek deuteronomion "second law" from deuteros "second" + nom- "law."

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