monogamy

Definitions

mono- (one) + gam (Greek gamos, 'marriage') + -y (noun ending) = the practice of having one spouse. It heads a tidy family on the same -gamy stem: just change the number prefix — bigamy (bi-, two, married twice at once) and polygamy (poly-, many).

Why It Means This

The -gamy stem is a small system worth knowing: keep the stem, just swap the number prefix. mono- = one (monogamy), bi- = two (bigamy, the crime of being married twice at once), poly- = many (polygamy). The count is the only thing that changes. English also splits the word in use: 'social monogamy' means living as a faithful pair, while 'serial monogamy' means one partner at a time but several over a lifetime.

Common Collocations

• 1.practice monogamy实行一夫一妻
• 2.lifelong monogamy终身一夫一妻
• 3.social monogamy社会性单配
• 4.serial monogamy连续单配偶

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Many societies treat monogamy as the social norm.

• 2.

  The book questions whether lifelong monogamy is natural.

• 3.

  Monogamy is rare among mammals but common in birds.