Free US Law Dictionary

Fornication

Fornication is a term which refers to "consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other".[1] In contrast adultery is consensual sex where one or both of the partners are married to someone else. Though fornication is not in itself a crime in most countries, sexual intercourse is illegal and cannot be said to be consensual if one of the parties is below the age of consent to give such consent. Also some countries have special laws covering sodomy and sexual relations between people of the same sex, at any or below a certain age.

Fornication is regarded differently by different religions, societies and cultures.

The origin of the word derives from Latin. The word fornix means "an archway" or "vault" (in Rome, prostitutes could be solicited there). More directly, fornicatio means "done in the archway"; thus a euphemism for prostitution.[2][3]