harem
[hair-uh m, har-]
- the part of a Muslim palace or house reserved for the residence of women.
- the women in a Muslim household, including the mother, sisters, wives, concubines, daughters, entertainers, and servants.
- Animal Behavior. a social group of females, as elephant seals, accompanied or followed by one fertile male who denies other males access to the group.
- Facetious: Sometimes Offensive. a group of women associated in any way with one man or household: I really resent it when our boss refers to us as his harem, though he's trying to be funny.
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Sometimes ha·ram [hair-uh m, har-] /ˈhɛər əm, ˈhær-/, ha·reem, ha·rim [hah-reem] /hɑˈrim/.
Origin of harem
First recorded in 1625–35, harem is from the Arabic word harīm harem, literally, forbidden
Usage note
In the meaning “a group of women associated with one man,” harem is used for humorous effect. But this sense is sometimes perceived as insulting because it implies that the man collects women like objects.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for harem
Contemporary Examples
But when she opened the door, a harem of toned and dreaded hip-hop dancers were lounging on couches staring at her.
How Aidy Bryant Stealthily Became Your Favorite ‘Saturday Night Live’ StarKevin Fallon
October 31, 2014
Jillian Lauren is the author of The New York Times bestseller Some Girls: My Life in a Harem.
Mitchell is also a fundamentalist Mormon who had his eye on the then-14-year-old Smart to be the first of a harem of wives.
Harem pants were a well-tailored sport jacket compared to jeggings.
If he cultivates a harem without taking responsibility for it, he is, however, careless.
Historical Examples
And we couldn't do the thing, unfortunately, as it deals with the harem.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
According to his lights, he's right not to allow any interference with his harem from Europeans.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
And to interfere with the inmate of a harem is just about impossible.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
They gave him his harem and salary, and locked him up in a palace.
Who Was Who: 5000 B. C. to DateAnonymous
Ambition: Just one more wife and an end to those quarrels in the harem.
Who Was Who: 5000 B. C. to DateAnonymous
harem
hareem (hɑːˈriːm)
- the part of an Oriental house reserved strictly for wives, concubines, etc
- a Muslim's wives and concubines collectively
- a group of female animals of the same species that are the mates of a single male
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Word Origin
C17: from Arabic harīm forbidden (place)
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
Word Origin and History for harem
n.
1630s, from Turkish harem, from Arabic haram "wives and concubines," originally "women's quarters," literally "something forbidden or kept safe," from root of harama "he guarded, forbade."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper