concubine

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English [edit]

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Etymology [edit]

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

Pronunciation [edit]

  • (US) IPA: /ˈkɑŋkjəbaɪn/

Noun [edit]

concubine (plural concubines)

  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 [edit]

Translations [edit]

a woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife
slave-girl — see slave-girl
mistress — see mistress

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  • Random House Unabridged Dictionary

Italian [edit]

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Noun [edit]

concubine f

  1. Plural form of concubina

Latin [edit]

Noun [edit]

concubīne

  1. vocative singular of concubīnus
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