concubinage

[ kon-kyoo-buh-nij, kong- ]

/ kɒnˈkyu bə nɪdʒ, kɒŋ- /

Save This Word!

noun

cohabitation of a man and woman without legal or formal marriage.

the state or practice of being a concubine.

QUIZ

FIRE UP YOUR VOCAB FOR A "RED" SYNONYMS QUIZ

No fire engine reds here, only a fierce collection of vibrant words for the color red to test yourself on.

Question 1 of 7

What does "amaranth" mean?

a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness

an imaginary, undying flower

a mythical creature

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of concubinage

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at concubine, -age

Words nearby concubinage

concretio cordis, concretion, concretionary, concretism, concretize, concubinage, concubinary, concubine, concupiscence, concupiscent, concupiscible

How to use concubinage in a sentence

Yet rampant corruption, entrenched patriarchy, and a long history of concubinage also play a role.
Inside China’s Mistress-Industrial Complex|Junheng Li, Bethany Allen, Ana Swanson|February 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were setting at defiance the laws of celibacy; they not only sought wives, but they lived in concubinage.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume V|John Lord
What can be said to the practices of polygamy and concubinage, which prevailed even in these golden times and in pious families?
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II|Francis Augustus Cox
Adoption is common, concubinage rare; each being on a level with marriage in respect to the status of the children.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies|Robert Gordon Latham

Under such rule, polygamy, concubinage, and adultery are not tolerated.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies|Robert Gordon Latham
Concubinage conjointly with a wife, is altogether unlawful for Christians, and detestable.
The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love|Emanuel Swedenborg

British Dictionary definitions for concubinage

concubinage

/ (kɒnˈkjuːbɪnɪdʒ) /

noun

cohabitation without legal marriage

the state of living as a concubine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012