concubine

American  

[kong-kyuh-bahyn, kon-] / ˈkɒŋ kjəˌbaɪn, ˈkɒn- /

noun

concubines plural

1. a woman who cohabits with a man to whom she is not legally married, especially one regarded as socially or sexually subservient; mistress.

2. (among polygamous peoples) a secondary wife, usually of inferior rank.

3. (especially formerly in Muslim societies) a woman residing in a harem and kept, as by a sultan, for sexual purposes.

---

concubine British  

/ ˈkɒn-, ˈkɒŋkjʊˌbaɪn, kɒŋˈkjʊbɪnərɪ /

noun

1. (in polygamous societies) a secondary wife, usually of lower social rank

2. a woman who cohabits with a man

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• concubinary
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• concubines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of concubine

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin concubīna, equivalent to concub- (variant stem of concumbere “to lie together”; see con-, incumbent) + -īna, feminine suffix

Explanation

Throughout history, there have been instances when it was considered acceptable for an important man to keep a woman, not his wife, as a mistress. These women were called concubines, and they often were treated better than the man’s wife. The word concubine comes from the Latin verb, cubare, which means "to lie down." The word developed in Middle English in the 13th Century, and is another name for a woman taken as a mistress. The practice was common throughout history: the Bible includes many references to concubines, and in ancient China, a ruler might have had thousands of concubines, some treated well, some like prostitutes. Sad to say, the practice is still going on, acceptable in some countries today.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

concubine concubines

Abraham arrived there with his servant and concubine Hagar and their son Ishmael.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

Early on in the winsome new documentary about her life and work, Rita Moreno takes gently hilarious aim at Tuptim, the young Burmese concubine she played in the 1956 film of “The King and I.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2021

Part historical fiction, part fantasy, this novel of the Spanish Inquisition centers on Fatima, a favorite concubine of the last sultan of Granada.

From New York Times ● Mar. 27, 2020

He must be rejoicing, telling the Emperor Charles that the king’s concubine is living her last hours.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 22, 2020

My mother was a slave, his concubine; but Kastor Hylakides, my father, treated me as a true born son.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

The nizam’s court, with its sumptuous palaces, its concubines, its rituals and recitations of poetry and music, was the chief inheritor of the archaic grandeur of the moguls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

Among the 20 concubines was the woman who would became known as Malinche.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026

However, sumptuary laws dictated what women could and could not wear, elite men kept concubines, and the Tang legal system considered women property.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

King Saud, Saudi Arabia’s second king, fathered 53 sons and 57 daughters with numerous wives and concubines.

From New York Times ● Dec. 30, 2020

I saw how fearful Third Wife became when Second Wife told her stories of old concubines who were kicked out into the streets.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

Related Words

• mistress