The idiom out of wedlock means not married, or occurring outside of a legal marriage. It is most commonly used in the phrase born out of wedlock, which refers to a child born to parents who are not legally married to each other.
While the word wedlock originally meant marriage or the marriage vow, it has become a fossil word in modern English, meaning it is almost never used on its own today except within the fixed phrase out of wedlock (and occasionally its opposite, in wedlock).
Origin of “Wedlock” and “Out of Wedlock”
The phrase in wedlock dates back to the 1300s, while out of wedlock first appeared in print around 1675.
The word wedlock stems from the Old English wedlać (from weddian, meaning to pledge or engage). The suffix -lac denoted an action or practice. Over time, through a process of folk etymology, English speakers confused the suffix -lac with the word lock, leading to the mistaken belief that wedlock means being “locked into marriage.”
“Out of Wedlock” in Movies & Pop Culture
In modern dialogue, screenwriters often use “out of wedlock” to highlight traditional social stigma, family secrets, or personal independence across different eras:
- 17 Again (2009): Used humorously to bluntly address and strip away the old social taboo surrounding unwed parenthood: “Before we get started, I think you should know that, uh, Mark’s a bastard.” / “Excuse me?” / “I had him out of wedlock, so…”
- Blade: Trinity (2004): Used as a straightforward plot explanation to reveal a secret family connection without traditional marital ties: “I thought the vampires killed Whistler’s family.” / “They did. I was born later out of wedlock. When I came of age, I tracked my dad down…”
- North Country (2005): Highlights societal judgment and legal character attacks aimed at single mothers in a formal court setting: “This woman is a single welfare mother with two kids out of wedlock, a sordid sexual history…”
- King of the Hill (1997): Spoken with proud resilience by a character reflecting on the hardships of single parent outside of traditional marriage: “And for 10 years, I raised a child out of wedlock alone. This arrangement afforded me many opportunities for difficulty.”