Which term describes a system in which a man has more than one wife?

Which term describes a system in which a man has more than one wife?

• A. Endogamy
• B. Exogamy
• C. Polygyny
• D. Bilateral descent

Answer: (C)

Polygyny refers to a marriage arrangement where a man has multiple wives. This is a specific form of polygamy, the broader idea of having more than one spouse at the same time. The other terms describe different concepts: endogamy is marrying within a defined social group, exogamy is marrying outside that group, and bilateral descent traces kinship through both parents. So when the question asks for a system with a man having more than one wife, polygyny is the correct term.

Polygyny refers to a marriage arrangement where a man has multiple wives. This is a specific form of polygamy, the broader idea of having more than one spouse at the same time. The other terms describe different concepts: endogamy is marrying within a defined social group, exogamy is marrying outside that group, and bilateral descent traces kinship through both parents. So when the question asks for a system with a man having more than one wife, polygyny is the correct term.