Ran away secretly to get married, usually without family permission or a formal wedding.
From Old French 'eloper,' possibly meaning 'to run away.' The word gained its romantic connotation in English during the 1600s, applied specifically to secret marriages.
Elopement used to be scandalous—it meant defying your family and society's rules—but today it's often romantic. The word itself hasn't changed meaning, but our cultural values around secret marriages have shifted completely.
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