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out of wedlock

You can use the phrase out of wedlock when you're talking about a baby born to parents who aren't married.

Although out of wedlock is commonly understood, it's becoming increasingly old-fashioned. You can describe someone whose parents are unwed as having been born out of wedlock, but it's more common to say something like, "She has a single mother," or "His parents aren't legally married." The phrase is based on the word wedlock, which is a thirteenth century way to say "marriage," from the Old English root word wedlac or "marriage vow."

Definitions of out of wedlock
  1. adverb
    of unwed parents
    “he was born out of wedlock
    synonyms: outside marriage
  2. adverb
    of biological parents not married to each other
    synonyms: illegitimately
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