mésalliance

[ mey-zuh-lahy-uhns, mey-zal-ee-uhns; French mey-zal-yahns ]

noun

, plural mé·sal·li·anc·es [mey-z, uh, -, lahy, -, uh, n-siz, mey-, zal, -ee-, uh, n-siz, mey-z, a, l-, yahns].

1. a marriage with someone who is considered socially inferior; misalliance.

mésalliance

/ mɛˈzælɪəns; mezaljɑ̃s /

noun

1. marriage with a person of lower social status

Word History and Origins

Origin of mésalliance¹

From French, dating back to 1775–85; mis- ¹, alliance

Word History and Origins

Origin of mésalliance¹

C18: from French: misalliance

Example Sentences

You were deeply grieved over the mesalliance of Miss Lamotte?

From Project Gutenberg

No matter to him what horrors they suffered, he considered it all but a just punishment for their attempted mesalliance.

From Project Gutenberg

The marriage of convenience is much used in plays of this type, too, as well as the mesalliance that afterward turns out well.

From Project Gutenberg

The virtuous woman then saw, when it was too late, that it was she who had formed a mesalliance.

From Project Gutenberg

She had married beneath her, had Mrs. Fleming, and the Belmanoirs had never quite forgiven the shocking mesalliance.

From Project Gutenberg