Which term describes marriage across different social classes?

• A. Endogamy
• B. Homogamy
• C. Exogamy
• D. Monogamy

Answer: (C)

Exogamy is the term for marrying outside one’s social group. When we talk about marriage across different social classes, exogamy captures crossing those class boundaries, which is what happens in cross-class unions. Endogamy would require marrying within the same class or social group, so it wouldn’t describe crossing class lines. Homogamy describes marrying someone who is socially similar in traits like class, religion, or background, which tends to reinforce similarity rather than cross boundaries. Monogamy refers to having one partner at a time and doesn’t address whether the marriage crosses social boundaries. So exogamy best fits the idea of marrying across social classes.