hypergamy

[ hahy-pur-guh-mee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the practice among Hindu women of marrying into a caste at least as high as their own.

hypergamy

/ haɪˈpɜːɡəmɪ /

First recorded in 1880–85; hyper- + -gamy

C19: from hyper- + -gamy

The Khandaits practise hypergamy with the Rautadi, taking daughters from them, but not giving their daughters to them.

They have the same complicated arrangement of exogamy and hypergamy as the Khatris, and will take food from that caste.

The social results of hypergamy, when commonly practised, are highly injurious.

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