civil marriage

noun

: a marriage performed by a magistrate

Examples of civil marriage in a Sentence

a mayor who has officiated at several civil marriages this year
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ronan and Lowden tied the knot in Edinburgh in July 2024, per online Scottish civil marriage registry records previously viewed by PEOPLE. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Couples can leave Lebanon to secure civil marriages, but such destination weddings, even in nearby Cyprus, are expensive. Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Gantz also wants to introduce term limits for prime ministers (Netanyahu has already had four) and to usher in civil marriages. David Meyer, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2019 Many abhor the separation of genders in public schools and universities and are dismayed that Jewish Israelis still can’t have civil marriages—and that the Chief Rabbinate has begun asking for genetic tests before allowing couples to marry. Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2019 There is one in his office and another in the room where town officials perform civil marriages. Katrin Bennhold, New York Times, 30 May 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil marriage was in 1820

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Cite this Entry

“Civil marriage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20marriage. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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