What is polygyny?

Polygyny refers to a specific marital structure wherein one man is married to multiple women simultaneously. This family arrangement is often found in various cultures and societies around the world, historically and currently. It is distinct from monogamy, which involves a marriage between only two individuals, and polyandry, where one woman is married to multiple men.

Understanding polygyny also involves recognizing its social and cultural implications, such as the roles of gender, power dynamics, and kinship patterns within societies that practice or accept this form of marriage. In many cases, polygyny is linked to cultural norms, economic factors, and social structures that prioritize male lineage or resource sharing among wives.

The other options do not accurately describe polygyny: one woman married to multiple men refers to polyandry, a single marriage between two individuals describes monogamy, and a union recognized by the state could apply to various types of marriages without specifying the structure of those relationships.