Table of Contents
Definition of Bilocal Residence
(noun) When a married couple lives with or near either spouses‘ family or alternates between families.
Bilocal Residence Pronunciation
Syllabification: bi·lo·cal res·i·dence
Audio Pronunciation
Usage Notes
- Plural: bilocal residences
- In contrast to bilocal residence, a matrilocal residence is when a husband and wife live with or near the wife’s family, a patrilocal residence is when a husband and wife live with or near the husband’s family, an avunculocal residence is when a husband and wife live with or near the husband’s maternal uncle, duolocal residence is when a married couple live at separate locations and typically only come together to conceive children, and a neolocal residence is when a married couple live together in a new residence instead of with the husband’s family or the wife’s family.
- The residency requirement to live with or near the family of either spouse is called a unilocal rule.
- A marriage that allows a bilocal residence is called a bilocal marriage.
- Variant spelling: bi-local residence
- Also called:
- ambilocal residence
- ambilocality
- bilocality
- When spouses live near either of their families they are living (adjective) bilocal or (adjective) bilocally.
Additional Information
- Family and Kinship Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Word origin of “residence” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
Related Terms
- avunculocal residence
- duolocal residence
- endogamy
- exogamy
- extended family
- marriage
- matrilocal residence
- neolocal residence
- postmarital residence
- unilocal rule
Works Consulted
Tischler, Henry L. 2011. Introduction to Sociology. 10th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Cite the Definition of Bilocal Residence
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “bilocal residence.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 25, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/bilocal-residence/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
bilocal residence. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/bilocal-residence/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “bilocal residence.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/bilocal-residence/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“bilocal residence.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/bilocal-residence/>.