Definition
An unconsummated marriage.
Origins
Calque of French mariage blanc. “White” is the traditional symbol of purity and therefore of virginity. It may also refer to the absence of hymenal blood on the couple’s sheets.
See Also
- marriage of convenience
- white wedding
How People Actually Use It
1. (Archaic) A sexless marriage 2. The marriage of a gay man to a straight woman (what we'd today call his beard)
"In old hollywood gay actors would enter into white marriages to protect their reputations. Some things don't change..."
Source: Urban Dictionary