Definition & Meaning of "starter marriage"

Starter marriage

NOUN

a relatively short-lived first marriage that serves as a learning experience for one or both partners

Idiom

Informal

What is the origin of the idiom "starter marriage" and when to use it?

The phrase is thought to have originated in the United States in the early 20th century, as a way to describe a first marriage that is relatively short-lived and ends in divorce. It can be used to describe a pattern where individuals have multiple marriages over their lifetime, with their first one being seen as the first experience.

starter marriage

Example

For Alex, his starter marriage served as a valuable learning experience, teaching him valuable lessons about communication, compromise, and the kind of partner he wanted to be with for the long term.

After college, Nicole and John got married, but it turned out to be a starter marriage as they soon realized they wanted different things in life and decided to go their separate ways.