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son-in-law

[ suhn-in-law ]

noun

, plural sons-in-law.
  1. the husband of one's child.


son-in-law

noun

  1. the husband of one's daughter


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Word History and Origins

Origin of son-in-law1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sone in lawe; son, in, law 1; from Middle English in-lawe “in law,” i.e., “a person within the regulation and protection of the law,” based on the prohibition by Roman civil law and, later, Christian canon law, of marriages within four degrees of consanguinity, i.e., up to and including first cousins

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Example Sentences

This is a guy who has his son-in-law clean his eyeglasses, for crying out loud.

One visitor, an elderly woman named Mrs. Lacey, relays an anecdote about her American son-in-law.

Facing imminent execution, Dmitriev reveals this secret to his son-in-law.

He just might (I know, parents are supposed to stay out of these things) become my son-in-law one day.

The day before his wedding, King George VI titled his future son-in-law Philip Duke of Edinburgh.

She then went to live with her son-in-law in a magnificent mansion overlooking the Esplanade des Invalides.

The squire's son-in-law was quite aware that the wealthy Mr. Sleek was a parvenu.

Son-in-law and successor of Cardot, whose eldest daughter he had married.

Cesar Birotteau thought for a time of making him his son-in-law.

Adrastus, king of Argos, who assisted his son-in-law Polynices, and survived the war; Theb.

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