misogamy

Definitions

miso- (Greek, 'hatred') + gam (Greek gamos, 'marriage') + -y (noun) = hatred of marriage. The family's odd member: the prefix is an emotion, not a number. The same miso- appears in misanthrope (hater of people) and misogyny (hatred of women).

Why It Means This

Most -gamy words count spouses (mono-, bi-, poly-). misogamy breaks the mold by using Greek miso- 'hatred' instead of a number — so it names a feeling about marriage, not a marriage arrangement. Recognizing miso- pays off across several bookish words: misanthrope, misogyny, misogamy. It is a literary, rather rare term.

Example Sentences

• 1.

  His lifelong misogamy puzzled friends who expected him to settle down.

• 2.

  The novel reads as a witty defense of misogamy.

• 3.

  Critics traced the character's misogamy to a bitter divorce.