Marriage of a man to two or more wives is known as:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
Polygyny is the correct and precise anthropological term for a marriage in which one man has two or more wives simultaneously. The word is derived from the Greek root *poly*, meaning 'many', and *gyne*, meaning 'wife' or 'woman'. It is one of the two main forms of polygamy, which is the general term for any marriage involving more than two spouses. This specific social pattern represents a plural marriage where a single husband is married into a household that may include several adult women and their children. Historically and culturally, polygyny has been observed in various societies globally, often linked to factors such as agricultural needs for increased labor, social stratification, demonstration of high economic status, or compliance with religious directives. In communities where it is accepted, the status of the co-wives may be equal or hierarchical, but the arrangement is formally recognized by the community and is a legitimate form of marriage.

The incorrect option is 2:
Endogamy is a sociological and anthropological term that refers to the custom or social rule requiring an individual to marry *within* the limits of a specified social group. The term comes from the Greek *endo* (within) and *gamos* (marriage). The group requiring endogamy can be a clan, a tribe, a village, a caste, or a particular religious or ethnic body. The core purpose of endogamy is typically to maintain the social solidarity, distinctiveness, and traditional boundaries of the group by restricting marital selection. The opposite practice is exogamy, which mandates marriage outside the social group. Endogamy is concerned with the *boundary* of the marriage partner selection—*who* one must marry—not the *number* of spouses in the marriage.

The incorrect option is 3:
Polyandry is an institutionalized form of plural marriage, but it is the structural inverse of the type described in the question. Polyandry refers to a marriage in which one woman is simultaneously married to two or more men. This term also stems from Greek, combining *poly* (many) and *andros* (man/husband). This type of marriage is considerably rarer globally than polygyny and has been observed primarily in specific regions, often associated with a need to keep family land undivided or manage scarce resources. A well-known variation is fraternal polyandry, where the husbands are brothers. Since the question explicitly asks for the term describing a *man* having multiple wives, the term for a *woman* having multiple husbands is incorrect.

The incorrect option is 4:
The option "None of the above" is incorrect because Option 1, Polygyny, is the accurate and established social science term that precisely describes the marriage of a man to two or more wives. Since the correct terminology exists and is provided among the choices, the assertion that "None of the above" is the answer is factually incorrect. Students must remember to select the most specific and correct definition when presented with multiple, distinct, and defined sociological terms.