Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to marriage or the relationship of spouses.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to marriage; of the nature of marriage; matrimonial; nuptial: as, a conjugal union; the conjugal relation.
  • Pertaining to the relation, of husband and wife; arising from or proper to marriage; connubial; individually, marital or wifely.
  • Synonyms Connubial, Nuptial, etc. See matrimonial.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Belonging to marriage; suitable or appropriate to the marriage state or to married persons; matrimonial; connubial.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of, or relating to marriage, or the relationship of spouses

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between a wife and husband

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin coniugālis, from coniūnx, coniug-, spouse, from coniungere, to join in marriage; see conjoin.]

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Examples

  • I shall show the higher part intellect plays in conjugal love, the control, restraint, forbearance, sacrifice.

    The Kempton-Wace Letters 2010

  • The excellence of the intention is fully and readily recognised, but, for all practical purposes, the letter has received very much the same treatment at the hands of the Northern public as that usually assigned to intermeddlers in conjugal differences.

    London, Saturday, September28, 1861. 1861

  • "Continue therefore to live even with unbelieving relatives; for, if you are holy, the relation is so, the state is so, you may make a holy use even of an unbelieving relative, in conjugal duties, and your seed will be holy too."

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • Al Jannabi (Gagnier, tom.iii. p. 287) records his own testimony, that he surpassed all men in conjugal vigor; and

    The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 1206

  • This is the love of familiar, committed partners, variously known as conjugal, married, or spousal love.

    Robert Fuller: Must Love End? 2009

  • Because procreation is the primary purpose for sexual activity more properly called the conjugal act, a married couple is not to engage in any sexual activity that intentionally thwarts or subverts the procreation of children.

    Scandal in Brazil Bishops' Conference Chairman defends appointment of abortion supporter to Supreme Court 2009

  • Aflame with the idea of conjugal bliss as a veritable religion, in the 1930s he tried to create a whole "" Hilda Chapel '' full of paintings on the joys of married life.

    Love Affair, With Paint 2008

  • Why is the act of intercourse called the conjugal act?

    A celibate expert on marriage Mike L 2006

  • At first they lightheartedly recall their conjugal experiences, but with the recollection of the suicide of their mutual friend Barbara their thoughts darken into remembrance of Catharine's insanity and her time spent in a Swiss sanitarium.

    Poor Papa Leonard, John 2000

  • What might follow is needless for me to name; -- your soul must shudder at the idea of conjugal infidelity!

    Alonzo and Melissa The Unfeeling Father Daniel Jackson

Comments

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  • Railroad telegraphers' shorthand for the phrase "Must make a concession of at least" --US Railway Association, Standard Cipher Code, 1906. compare connubial.

    January 21, 2013

  • Wonder what 'it's complicated' meant.

    January 21, 2013