civil unions

Civil unions are legally recognized partnerships that grant couples many of the same rights and responsibilities as marriage—typically health care decisions, inheritance, and tax benefits.

The term emerged in the late twentieth century primarily as a legal status for same-sex couples in jurisdictions that did not permit same-sex marriage.

Vermont was the first U.S. state to establish civil unions.

Since marriage equality has expanded, civil unions have become less common, though some jurisdictions retain them as an alternative to marriage for any couple.