Concubine

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ˈkÉ‘Å‹kjÉ™baɪn/

Origin

Origin: 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin concubīna, equivalent to concub- (variant stem of concumbō ("to lie together")) + feminine suffix -īna.

Full definition of concubine

Noun

1. A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.
2. A slave-girl for sexual service prominent in all ancient cultures.
3. Signifies a relationship where the male is the dominant partner, socially and economically
4. A woman attached to a man solely for reproduction, and who cares for the resulting children without any romantic relationship.
5. (especially formerly in Arabic societies, as well as in ancient Eastern societies) a woman residing in a harem and kept, as by a sultan or emperor, for sexual purposes.
6. A woman kept by a man who is high in hierarchial society in addition to his wives, e.g in the imperial harem or within a household.

Derived terms

• concubinage