monogamy
Sign in to saveMonogamy ( ) is a relationship of two individuals in which they form a mutual and exclusive intimate partnership. Having only one partner at any one time, whether for life or serial monogamy, contrasts with various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., polygamy or polyamory).
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Monogamy is a relationship between two people who are committed exclusively to each other as romantic and intimate partners. It contrasts with non-monogamous arrangements where people have multiple partners, and can be lifelong or occur in sequence with different partners over time.
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Article
33 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- Frequency in humans
- Distribution of social monogamy
- Prevalence of sexual monogamy
- Prevalence of genetic monogamy
- Evolutionary and historical development in humans
- Biological arguments
- Cultural arguments
- Arguments from outside the scientific community
- Prehistoric societies
- Ancient societies
- Tribal societies
- Ancient Mesopotamia and Assyria
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Israel
- Ancient Greece and ancient Rome
- Early Christianity
- Contemporary societies
- International
- People's Republic of China
- Varieties in biology
- Serial monogamy
- Reproductive success
- Breakup
- Similarity with polygamy
- Mating system
- Evolution in animals
- Genetic and neuroendocrine bases
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
Monogamy ( ) is a relationship of two individuals in which they form a mutual and exclusive intimate partnership. Having only one partner at any one time, whether for life or serial monogamy, contrasts with various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., polygamy or polyamory).
The term monogamy, derived from Greek for "one marriage," has multiple context-dependent meanings—genetic, sexual, social, and marital—each varying in interpretation across cultures and disciplines, making its definition complex and often debated. The term is typically used to describe the behavioral ecology and sexual selection of animal mating systems, referring to the state of having only one mate at any one given time. In a human cultural context, monogamy typically refers to the custom of two individuals, regardless of orientation, committing to a sexually exclusive relationship.