Adultery
/əˈdʌltəri/
Definitions
Infidelity in marriage; voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their spouse.
/əˈdʌltəri/
Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse.
Her adultery led to the breakdown of their marriage.
💡 Simply: Having sex with someone when you are married to another person.
More Examples
The scandal involved accusations of adultery.
How It's Used
"The grounds for divorce included adultery."
"The novel explores the consequences of adultery."
From Old French adulterie, from Latin adulterium, from adulter-, adulter (past participle stem of adulterare) "to corrupt, debase, commit adultery," from ad- "to" + alter "another." The word's meaning has remained consistent throughout its history, referring to infidelity in marriage.
Historically, adultery carried significant social and legal consequences, often resulting in severe punishments.
Memory tip
Think 'adult' + 'territory' - crossing into someone else's marital territory.