conjugal
KON-juh-gul
/ˈkɒn.dʒʊ.ɡəl/
Relating to marriage or the relationship between a married couple.
Often used in legal contexts regarding the rights and responsibilities of partners (e.g., 'conjugal rights').
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'conjugalis', which comes from 'cum' (together) and 'jugum' (yoke). It paints a vivid picture of a married couple as two oxen yoked together, pulling the same plow.
Word relationships
- marital: Marital is the standard term; conjugal is more formal and often implies the physical or intimate side of the union.
- connubial: An even more formal, poetic synonym for 'conjugal'.
Commonly confused with
- marital: Marital refers to the legal state; conjugal often refers to the relationship or intimacy within that state.
Collocations
- conjugal bliss
- conjugal rights
- conjugal visit
Example sentences
- "They enjoyed fifty years of conjugal bliss, rarely spending a single night apart." Describing a long-term happy marriage.
- "The prisoner was granted a conjugal visit with his wife." A legal context regarding prison visits.
Memory hook
Conjugal = Con (with) + Jugal (like a jugular vein, vital and joined). Yoked together in a conjugal bond.
When not to use
Too clinical for romantic or casual descriptions of a relationship.
Fun facts
- The word 'conjugate' in grammar (joining verbs to subjects) comes from the same 'yoke' root.
Explore more words
nuptial, affinal, contractual, consanguinity, filial, adultery
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