Polygamy is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married to more than one husband at a time, it is called polyandry. In contrast to polygamy, monogamy is marriage consisting of only two parties.

Is polygamy legal in the US?

Polygamy was outlawed in federal territories by the Edmunds Act, and there are laws against the practice in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. ... Utah reduced polygamy from a third-degree felony to a minor infraction on May 13, 2020.

What is the purpose of polygamy?

The main purpose of polygamy in a religious group is to be able to have more children, and that means the man and his wives are expected to continue to procreate as much as possible.