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My wife's ex-husband is my __?

It sort of felt a bit awkward to see the woman, her current husband, her ex-husband, and her and her ex-husband's children in one room together. They all seem to be at ease and are bonding very well. Anyway, what is the relationship called between the two men?

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  • In most cases the two primary parties don't want a relationship of any kind (with positive or negative connotations), so to all intents and purposes no such relationship exists, and thus it doesn't need a name.
    – FumbleFingers
    Feb 15, 2014 at 13:00
  • I thought the same thing but such a word comes in handy from an observer's point of view.
    – Mickael Caruso
    Feb 15, 2014 at 14:24
  • I suppose if you wanted to be flippant, you could refer to either as the other's oppo. But observers don't necessarily know what's going on beneath the surface. In your case, for example, you might think the two guys are "at ease and are bonding very well" because you're fooled by a fiction they both strive to maintain for the sake of the children, or because they don't like conflict, or whatever. It might be unwise to call attention to the "relationship" unless you know both of them extremely well (and probably not even then! :)
    – FumbleFingers
    Feb 15, 2014 at 16:29
  • ...Whereas you can have a fraternal relationship with your brother, for example, I think the most likely adjective for your context would simply be tense in most cases.
    – FumbleFingers
    Feb 15, 2014 at 16:31

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Nothing, no relationship status word to signify this all too common situation. He is the wife's ex-husband (or ex) and, to the old husband, the new husband is his ex's husband.

My ex's new (whatever) is sufficient, or there would be a term for this.

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