#morganatic

[fewnewwords-blog]

rescue his octoroon lover by marrying her in a morganatic ceremony

morganatic, adj.

2. a. Designating or relating to a marriage in which a man of high rank marries a wife of lower rank, but neither the wife nor any children of the marriage have any claim to the possessions or the title of the husband. Also (occas.): designating a similar arrangement between a woman of high rank and a man of lower rank. Also fig.

[the-msm]

DFW word of the day

Morganatic - ADJECTIVE: Of or being a legal marriage between a person of royal or noble birth and a partner of lower rank, in which it is agreed that no titles or estates of the royal or noble partner are to be shared by the partner of inferior rank nor by any of the offspring of the marriage. ETYMOLOGY: New Latin morgan ticus, from Medieval Latin (m trim nium ad) morgan ticam, (marriage for the) morning-gift, of Germanic origin OTHER FORMS: mor ga·nat i·cal·ly(Adverb)

[ingridrichter]

Morganatic Marriage

This signifies, among German princes, a union in which it is stipulated that, the wife being of inferior birth to her husband, neither she nor her children shall enjoy the privileges of his rank nor inherit his possessions. The marriage is, however, a good one, being strictly legal; and the children are legitimate.

Things not generally known; a popular hand-book of facts not readily accessible in literature, history, and science by John Timbs, 1857.