- Meaning and lesson
The saying treats marriage as strongly shaped by financial considerations rather than by affection alone. It points to the economic calculations surrounding a match, including income, property, security, or the cost of establishing a household.
It can be used critically to suggest that romantic ideals yield to material advantage in decisions about marriage. Depending on tone, it may express cynicism about social expectations or acknowledge practical pressures, rather than make a universal claim about every marriage.
- When it is used
Use it as a concise, often wry observation about financial motives or constraints in marriage. Its broad wording can sound cynical or dismissive of love, commitment, and individual circumstances, so it suits general commentary on material considerations more readily than a sympathetic discussion of a particular couple.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Matrimony's a matter of money.