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jactitation of marriage

(UK, legal, historical) A false assertion of being married to another person.

ˌd͡ʒæktəˈteɪʃən ˈʌv ˈmɛɹɪd͡ʒSilenthistorical308 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, legal, historical) A false assertion of being married to another person.

For parents

"jactitation of marriage" is an old or dialect word meaning a false assertion of being married to another person. If your teen uses it, they have most likely picked it up from a book, video game, period drama, or a regional grandparent rather than a modern peer group. There is no cause for concern here; the word is largely out of contemporary teen usage. If it appears in a school text, it is being studied for vocabulary or historical context. You can treat it like any other archaic vocabulary item.

For ESL learners

"jactitation of marriage" is formal / specialist English meaning a false assertion of being married to another person. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a false assertion of being married to another person" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to use "jactitation of marriage" in modern conversation; it will sound strange or theatrical. Recognise it in older texts, but use the modern equivalent when speaking. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

Heard in the wild
  • “The action was abolished in England in 1986 and in Ireland in 1995. ## Suit for jactitation of marriage Where one person falsely asserted that he or she was married to another, the wronged party (the petitioner) could bring a suit for jactitation of marriage.”

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For specific readers

"jactitation of marriage" is an old or dialect word meaning a false assertion of being married to another person. If your teen uses it, they have most likely picked it up from a book, video game, period drama, or a regional grandparent rather than a modern peer group. There is no cause for concern here; the word is largely out of contemporary teen usage. If it appears in a school text, it is being studied for vocabulary or historical context. You can treat it like any other archaic vocabulary item.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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UK

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

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