concubinage
Americannoun
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cohabitation of a man and woman without legal or formal marriage.
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the state or practice of being a concubine.
noun
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cohabitation without legal marriage
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the state of living as a concubine
Etymology
Origin of concubinage
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at concubine, -age
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Three years ago, the National Assembly passed her family bill, which banned polygamy and concubinage, set up stiff penalties for adultery, outlawed divorce except by permission of the President.
From Time Magazine Archive
Japanese women, awakening from their sheltered stupor, had elected 38 of their number to the Diet, were agitating for an end to concubinage, for liberalized divorce laws, for equal legal treatment.
From Time Magazine Archive
There is, for example, the concubinage of inherited wealth.
From Time Magazine Archive
Nhu has banned polygamy, concubinage, dancing, and even fighting fish.
From Time Magazine Archive
Among the secular priests, those not connected with a monastic order, marriage or concubinage had not by any means ceased, and we find even bishops leading scandalous lives.
From Women of Mediæval France Woman: in all ages and in all countries Vol. 5 (of 10) by Butler, Pierce
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
