out of wedlock
Born before vows
Out of wedlock describes birth or conception occurring when the parents aren't married to each other: a child born out of wedlock.
The phrase sounds formal or old-fashioned, carrying faint moral judgment from an era when unmarried parenthood was scandalous.
Modern usage often prefers neutral alternatives like "unmarried parents."
- illegitimacyLacking lawful authority
- custody rightsLegal authority over children
- paternity testsDNA analysis confirming parentage
- birth certificateOfficial record of arrival
- inheritance lawsLegal rules for bequests
civil unions · stigma · bastardy · love child · child support · adoption policies · tradition · cohabitation · societal norms · estrangement · blended families · broken home · family values · nuclear family · legal guardianship · birth registration · single mother · family law courts
- birthlive birth, stillbirth, premature birth, breech birth, multiple birth
- parentagepaternity, parentage, maternity, fatherhood, motherhood
out of wedlocklegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
legitimately · marital · trueborn · matrimonial · wedded
out of wedlocklegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
proper · respectable · sanctioned · blessed
wedlock, outing, outer, outward, outwardly, outermost, wedded, wedding, weddings