Hypergamy
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /haɪˈpɚɡəmi/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Hypergamy is a noun meaning Act or practice of seeking a spouse of higher socioeconomic status or caste status than oneself.
Meaning
Act or practice of seeking a spouse of higher socioeconomic status or caste status than oneself.
Example Sentences
A lawsuit against David Geffen mentions a website where hypergamy — dating above your station — is celebrated. But the word carries darker intonations.
From 1940 to the mid-1970s, the tendency for men to marry down educationally became more pronounced and the cultural ideal of hypergamy — that women must marry up — became more insistent.
Word Forms
- hypergamies
Antonyms for hypergamy
Common opposites include hypogamy.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include hypergyny, hypogamy, extramarriage, exogamy, outmarriage, matrimonial.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.