‘Polygamy’ is so familiar a word that almost everyone believes they know its meaning. Easily, use it in writing or speech. If many are thus asked to define ‘polygamy’, they gleefully say: a marriage in which a man has two or more wives.
The definition is not incorrect, but it is only half true. It is questionable because it has left out the possibility of a woman too being a polygamist. This is not about a gender war or matrimonial equity. It is purely a matter of language as the point being emphasised is that polygamy is, linguistically speaking, applicable to both sexes. It is not only a man that can be a polygamist, a woman can also be, at least in the cultures she is allowed to have more than a husband at the same time.
Consequently, this is how Oxford Dictionary, defines polygamy: the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. One wife or one husband! Interestingly, ‘monogamy’ shares a similar fate with polygamyas its meaning is not limited by sex. It is the practice of or a state of being married to a person at a time – whether a male or female. Now, you may be tempted to ask: what differentiates the sexes as far as polygamy/monogamy is concerned? Polygyny and polyandry do.
Polygyny is a marriage culture or situation a man is married to more than a woman at the same time. So, why you can use ‘polygamy’ for both men and women, you use ‘polygyny’ for only men. On the other hand, polyandry is the situation a woman is married to more than a man at a particular time. In other words, a polygynist has to be a man, while a polyandrist is a woman.
Here are some other relevant terms in marriage culture register:
Miscegenation: sexual relationships or production between people of different ethnic groups, especially when one of them is white.
Bigamy: The offence of marrying someone while already married to another person.
Polyamory: the practice of engaging in multiple romantic (and typically sexual) relationships with the consent of all involved.
Cohabitation: the state of living together and having sexual relationship without being married.
