conjugal

American  

[kon-juh-guhl] / ˈkɒn dʒə gəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of marriage.

   conjugal vows.

   Synonyms:

   connubial, nuptial, matrimonial

2. pertaining to the relation between marriage partners.

   Synonyms:

   marital

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conjugal British  

/ ˌkɒndʒʊˈɡælɪtɪ, ˈkɒndʒʊɡəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to marriage or the relationship between husband and wife

   conjugal rights

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conjugal Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for the relationship between married persons. A conjugal family is the same as a nuclear family, composed of married parents and their children. Conjugal relatives (in-laws) trace their relations through the marriage of their respective blood relatives.

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Usage

What does conjugal mean? Conjugal means relating to marriage, but it is perhaps best known for its use in conjugal visit, in a which prisoner is allowed to visit privately with their spouse for the purpose of having sexual relations. Otherwise, conjugal is often used in legal or religious contexts in discussions about particular aspects of marriage. Example: Gary and Sam got married in 1990 and have been living in conjugal bliss ever since.

Other Word Forms

• conjugality noun
• conjugally adverb
• nonconjugal adjective
• nonconjugality noun
• nonconjugally adverb
• unconjugal adjective

Etymology

Origin of conjugal

1535–45; < Latin conjugālis, equivalent to con- con- + jug ( um ) yoke ¹ + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

The adjective conjugal describes all husband-and-wife matters, so if someone who is married says, "Single people don't understand how I feel," you can be sure it's a conjugal situation. The word conjugal comes from the Latin word, conjux, meaning "husband, wife." You’ve no doubt heard of the term “conjugal visits,” to describe private visits between a prisoner and a spouse. But it can describe anything that happens between married people, such as conjugal obligations, which are the things you do to keep a marriage going, or just general conjugal, or married, life.

Example Sentences

The law will erase an ambiguity that has persisted despite there being no explicit mention of "conjugal duty" in any legal text.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe confirmed that Stephanie Brinson was killed during a conjugal visit.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2025

Four in every 100 girls aged 12-17 were either married or in a voluntary conjugal union, or had been, according to a 2020 census.

From Reuters • Sep. 9, 2023

"She is a most sweet and intimate companion, and an entire friend; there is no stricter or sweeter friendship than conjugal; as it was the first in the world, so it is most natural."

From Salon • Oct. 8, 2022

She never spoke of him again, nor did she offer any explanation for her flight from the conjugal abode.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende