co-father-in-law

From co- +‎ father-in-law or co-father +‎ -in-law.

co-father-in-law (plural co-fathers-in-law)

1. The father of one's son- or daughter-in-law; that is, the father-in-law of one's child, or, the father of one spouse in relation to the father of the other spouse; either of two or more men whose children marry each other, such as the father of a bride vis-à-vis the father of the groom.
   • 1884, G. A. Grierson, “The Song of Bijai Mal”, in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, volume 53, pages 132–133:

     ‘Hear, O well-read Paṇḍit, my daughter is ready for marriage. Take with you a barber's lad, go forth into the country, and search for a bridegroom. […] Search for a house worthy of my house, and search for a boy worthy of my child. Search for a co-father-in-law worthy of a co-father-in-law.’ […] Up rose the well-read Paṇḍit and said ‘O king, hear my petition. There is a co-father-in-law worthy of you as co-father-in-law. There is a boy worthy of your child. There is a house worthy of your house […] ’

   • 1892, Theodōros Kolokotrōnēs, (trans.) Elizabeth Mayhew Waller Edmonds, Kolokotrones the klepht and the warrior: Sixty years of peril and daring. An autobiography, page 104:

     my old friend […] whom I trusted greatly, because I had taken care of his family in former times, and because he was, as it were, my co-father-in-law, for I had betrothed my daughter to his son.

   • 1996, John W. Freeman, The Metropolitan Opera stories of the great operas, page 208:

     Diègue tries to treat Gormas amicably as his prospective co-father-in-law, but Gormas provokes him with rude remarks and slaps him

• (uncommon) Found primarily in translation. In conversation, the generic "in-law" is generally used, with context left to disambiguate. Once grandchildren are born, the term co-grandfather may be used if the focus is on the relationship through the grandchildren rather than through the married couple.

• co-grandfather

• co-mother-in-law
• co-parent-in-law

• co-brother-in-law
• co-in-law