Adultery

/əˈdʌltəri/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse.

The couple's marriage was strained due to the husband's adultery.

A violation of the marital vow of fidelity.

In some cultures, adultery is seen as a serious crime and is heavily punished.

A breach of trust in a committed relationship.

She felt betrayed after discovering her partner's adultery.

From Latin 'adulterium', from 'adulterare', meaning 'to corrupt, to defile'.

marital affair

A romantic relationship with someone who is married to another person.

cheating spouse

A husband or wife who is unfaithful in a marriage.

open marriage

A marriage in which both partners agree that each may have sexual relations with others.

infidelity

The act of being unfaithful to a partner.

fornication

Sexual intercourse between people not married to each other.

Two-timing

He's been two-timing his girlfriend with another woman.

Playing the field

After they split up, he started playing the field.