monogamous

adjective

mo·​nog·​a·​mous mə-ˈnä-gə-məs How to pronounce monogamous (audio)
variants or less commonly monogamic
: relating to, characterized by, or practicing monogamy : having only one mate, spouse, or sexual partner at one time
… the beaver has several qualities that endear it to people: it is monogamous and lives in a family unit; it is gentle and clean; it is absolutely industrious.Doug Hand
But for women who are not at risk for STDs because they are in mutually monogamous relationships, modern IUDs can be safe and very effective.Kim Painter
There are many kinds of infidelity, but here we are talking about a sexual infidelity in monogamous marriage or a relationship that is tantamount to marriage.Frank Pittman
monogamously adverb
Pairs usually mate monogamously for life … Vincenzo Penteriani et al.

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What is the Difference Between monogamous and Polygamous?

American marriage is by law monogamous; people are permitted to have only one spouse at a time. There are cultures with laws that permit marriage to more than one person at a time, or polygamy. Although the term polygamy may refer to polyandry (marriage to more than one man), it is more often used as a synonym for polygyny (marriage to more than one woman), which appears to have once been common in most of the world and is still found widely in some cultures.

Examples of monogamous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Come for adventure, danger, monogamous penguin love, and those super-cute chicks. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2024 To have implied any certainty of lifelong monogamous bliss for her 20-somethings would have rung false. Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2024 In mammals, oxytocin is central to mother-infant bonding and helps create close ties in monogamous couples. Robert Sapolsky, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019 Taylor and Dakota are in a committed monogamous relationship, according to Parade. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for monogamous 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monogamous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monogamous was in 1770

Dictionary Entries Near monogamous

Cite this Entry

“Monogamous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monogamous. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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