concubinage
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con·cu·bi·nage

noun \kän-ˈkyü-bə-nij, kən-\

Definition of CONCUBINAGE

1
: cohabitation of persons not legally married
2
: the state of being a concubine

First Known Use of CONCUBINAGE

14th century

concubinage

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Cohabitation of a man and a woman without the full sanctions of legal marriage. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the term concubine has been generally applied exclusively to women; Western studies of non-Western societies use it to refer to partners who are sanctioned by law but lack the status of full wives. See also common-law marriage; harem; polygamy.

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