BIG'AMY, n. [L.bis,twice, and Gr. to marry, marriage.]
The crime of having two wives at once. but the term is ordinarily used as synonymous with Polygamy, and may be more justly defined, the crime of having a plurality of wives.
In the canon law, bigamy was the marrying a second wife after the death of the first, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders,and holding ecclesiastical offices.
