seraglio
[ si-ral-yoh, -rahl- ]
/ sɪˈræl yoʊ, -ˈrɑl- /
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noun, plural se·ragl·ios.
the part of a Muslim house or palace in which the wives and concubines are secluded; harem.
a Turkish palace, especially of the sultan.
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Also called se·rail [suh-rahy, -rahyl, -reyl]. /səˈraɪ, -ˈraɪl, -ˈreɪl/.
Origin of seraglio
1575–85; <Italian serraglio<Persian sarāy palace; sense development in Italian perhaps influenced by serrare to lock up
Words nearby seraglio
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for seraglio
British Dictionary definitions for seraglio
seraglio
serail (səˈraɪ, -ˈraɪl, -ˈreɪl)
/ (sɛˈrɑːlɪˌəʊ) /
noun plural -raglios or -rails
the harem of a Muslim house or palace
a sultan's palace, esp in the former Turkish empire
the wives and concubines of a Muslim
Word Origin for seraglio
C16: from Italian serraglio animal cage, from Medieval Latin serrāculum bolt, from Latin sera a door bar; associated also with Turkish seray palace
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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