Adultery
/ΙΛdΚl.tΙ.ri/noun
Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their spouse.
Did you know?In medieval times, adultery was not just a moral failing; it was often punishable by death, revealing society's intense obsession with marital fidelity.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
adulterium
βa corrupt action or crime against marriage.β
Late Latin
Late Latin
adulterare
βto corrupt or to make impure, especially in a moral sense.β
Old French
Old French
adultere
βan act of infidelity or breach of marital faith.β
Middle English
Middle English
adultrie
βthe act of being unfaithful to a spouse.β
Modern English
English
adultery
βthe act of sexual infidelity, often with severe social and legal implications.β
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