Remarries

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

  1. To enter into a new legal marriage after having been previously married and divorced | To take a new spouse following the end of a prior marriage | To formalize a romantic relationship through marriage again after a previous union has concluded
  2. To engage in a second or subsequent matrimonial union after the dissolution of a prior marriage
  3. To establish a new marital relationship after having ended a previous one through divorce or death

Etymology: The verb in question derives from the base word "marry," which itself traces back to Old French "marier," meaning "to marry, wed," and ultimately from the Latin "maritare," meaning "to provide with a husband or wife." The root reflects the social institution of marriage, an established bond recognized across cultures and centuries. The prefix "re-" is a common element in English, borrowed from Latin, which means "again" or "back." When combined with a verb, it generally indicates repetition or return to a previous state or action. Thus, this verb literally conveys the act of marrying again after a prior marriage. This formation is straightforward and follows a common pattern in English verb construction. The addition of "re-" to "marry" likely became productive as remarriage became socially and legally recognized, allowing individuals to enter into a new marital union following the end of a previous one due to divorce, annulment, or widowhood. While the word itself does not have a singular moment of invention, its usage grew alongside changing social attitudes and legal frameworks concerning marriage and remarriage. By the early modern period in English, forms with "re-" were widely employed to express repetition of actions, and marrying again was naturally described by this prefix-plus-verb combination. The modern sense remains closely tied to the original components: it straightforwardly denotes entering into a new marriage following an earlier one, with no drastic semantic shifts or surprising detours in meaning over time.

Synonyms: re-weds, marries again, takes a new spouse, rejoins, unites again

Antonyms: divorces, separates, dissolves, breaks up, ends marriage