elopement

"Elope" means to run away secretly with the intention of getting married, often without parental consent. Historically, it also referred to a wife leaving her husband for a lover. The word's etymology traces back to Anglo-French terms for abduction or running away.123

While the traditional definition emphasizes clandestine marriage, the term "elope" has evolved. It can now also mean simply to escape or to leave a facility without authorization, such as a patient leaving a hospital. In contemporary usage, "elope" is sometimes used more broadly to describe a small, intimate wedding, often a destination wedding, which differs from its original meaning of a secret, defiant union.13