What do you call a couple living together but not married?

Asked by: Lazaro Gulgowski  |  Last update: January 8, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (6 votes)

A cohabiting couple is a couple that lives together in an intimate and committed relationship, who are not married to each other and not in a civil partnership. Cohabiting couples can be opposite-sex or same-sex.

What do you call unmarried couples?

Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not married, usually couples, live together.

What is it called when a couple lives together but isn t married?

Couples who live together and are not married fall under the category of cohabitation. The legal rights of cohabiting couples are very different than those of married couples.

What are the 4 types of cohabitation?

According to Casper and Bianchi (2002), proposed four cohabitation types, essentially introducing one more distinction within the prelude to marriage type: firstly, alternative to marriage, secondly, precursor to marriage, thirdly, trial marriage, and finally, co-residential dating (Casper and Bianchi, 2002).

What to call your partner if you're not married?

“Lover” is too explicit. “Partner” sounds business-like and quite a few same-sex couples use the term, so if you are not gay, it may mislead during the introduction. “Paramour” is old-fashioned. “Beau” is again formal and dated, “fiance” implies plans to marry, “escort” may imply “for pay,” “soul mate” is sappy.

Separation for unmarried couples, Lisa Burton-Durham explains the common myths.

43 related questions found

How do you refer to an unmarried partner?

The Ten Most Common Ways Unmarried People Introduce Their Partners (in order of frequency):*
  1. partner (also life partner, unmarried partner, domestic partner)
  2. boyfriend/girlfriend.
  3. significant other or S.O.
  4. the person's name without a descriptive word.
  5. friend.
  6. husband/wife.
  7. roommate or housemate.
  8. lover.

What is the correct word for unmarried?

unmarried | American Dictionary

having no husband or wife: Their youngest son is still unmarried.

Is cohabitation a girlfriend?

“Cohabitation” is commonly referred to as “living together.” It describes the relationship of a man and woman who are sexually active and share a household, though they are not married.

Is cohabitation legal in India?

The Supreme Court of India, exercising its interpretative jurisdiction, has expanded the scope of Article 21 to encompass the right of individuals to cohabit with a partner of their choice, irrespective of marital status.

Is a roommate a cohabitant?

Couples who are in a relationship and living together without the benefit of marriage are known as cohabitants under California law. These individuals are viewed as partners or roommates and can also be referred to as domestic partners.

What does palimony mean?

Palimony is a colloquial term used to refer to a court's award of financial support or assets to one party of a non-marital relationship following a break-up. The term is a portmanteau of the words pal (meaning friend) and alimony .

Can couples live together before marriage?

Psychologists and DU psychology professors Galena Rhoades and Scott Stanley say their findings indicate that living together before being engaged can actually decrease a couple's odds of a successful marriage.

What is an unmarried partner?

civil partner; or. unmarried partner, where the couple have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage or a civil partnership for at least two years.

Can I say partner if not married?

'Partner' is not perfect for every relationship

Right now, there's no official term for describing someone who's more than a boyfriend/girlfriend but not a legal spouse. Calling someone your lover is too intimate. A domestic partner or significant other may sound overly formal.

What do you call a lady that's not married?

Miss is a title used for an unmarried woman. It's used mainly for young women and girls; it can also be used for older unmarried women, but Ms. is more common in that context. Many young women also prefer Ms., so it can be safest to simply refer to any adult woman with Ms. instead.

How do you address an unmarried couple?

Is the couple unmarried but they share an address? Traditionally, you'd leave out the “and” and put their names on two separate lines. These days, some people prefer to use “and” for any committed union—or you might use an ampersand (&). In this case, go in alphabetical order by last name.

Is it illegal for unmarried couples to stay together in India?

No, there is no law that prohibits unmarried couples from staying together or checking-into a hotel.

What is unmarried cohabitation?

Living together with someone is also sometimes called 'cohabitation'. A cohabiting couple is a couple that lives together in an intimate and committed relationship, who are not married to each other and not in a civil partnership. Cohabiting couples can be opposite-sex or same-sex.

Can I stay in live-in relationship without divorce in India?

Live-in relationship without dissolving previous marriage is bigamy, says high court. CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has held that a couple living together without divorcing the earlier spouse does not fall within the definition of "live-in relationship" or ties in the "nature of marriage".

Can a boyfriend and girlfriend live together?

Living together before marriage was once considered taboo; however, it has become more common and accepted over time. 1 If you've been seeing your partner and things are going well, moving in together may cross your mind.

Can cohabitation replace marriage?

Wanting to avoid the headache and expense of divorce, some pairs now consider living together as “marriage lite” without any of the legal trappings. However, choosing to cohabit doesn't necessarily translate to a deeper commitment, Rhoades says.

Why do couples live together without being married?

From there though, the reasons people cohabitate versus get married differ. For example, 38% state financial reasons are a factor when choosing to move in together versus 14% who said this is a factor when choosing marriage. Additionally, 37% say cohabiting is “convenient” versus 10% who say marriage is.

What do we call a girl who is not married?

noun as in old maid. Weak matches. bachelor girl. fuddy-duddy.

What is the legal term for unmarried couple?

Domestic Partnerships in California

A domestic partnership is a legally recognized relationship between two people who live together and share a common domestic life but aren't officially married.

How do I say I am not married?

Synonyms of unmarried
  1. single.
  2. unwed.
  3. unattached.
  4. divorced.
  5. separated.
  6. marriageable.
  7. unpaired.
  8. fancy-free.