civil union
noun🔊/ˌsɪvl ˈjuːniən/
🔊/ˌsɪvl ˈjuːniən/
(North American English) (British English civil partnership)
(in some countries) a legal relationship between two people of the same sex, with the same legal status as marriage （某些国家）合法伴侣关系（同性伴侣享有与婚姻同等的法律地位）