Added 9 October 2026
adultery
/əˈdʌltəɹi/ noun
In Latin: adulterium Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about adultery at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Extramarital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes with marriage relations.
adultery is often cited as grounds for divorce
Origin
With change of suffix, from the Old French adultere (“violation of conjugal faith”) (in Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons, 12c.), a learnèd borrowing from Latin adulterium, from adulterō. Replaced the older form avoutrie, from the inherited Old French forms avouterie or aoulterie, while keeping its suffix. Compare French adultère (“adultery”). Displaced Old English ǣwbryċe. Not related to adult.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)