Definition of concubine
: a woman with whom a man cohabits without being married: such asa : one having a recognized social status in a household below that of a wifeb : mistress 4a
Read the Latest from M-W
Examples of concubine in a Sentence
spent an exorbitant sum on furnishing living quarters for his concubine
Recent Examples of concubine from the Web
-
When her husband returns from the Trojan War, Clytemnestra murders him and his concubine in retaliation.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'concubine'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of concubine
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin concubina, from com- + cubare to lie
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Anthropology Terms
CONCUBINE Defined for English Language Learners
concubine
playDefinition of concubine for English Language Learners
-
: an unmarried woman who has sex with a man and lives with the man and his wife or wives
Learn More about concubine
-
See words that rhyme with concubine Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for concubine Britannica English: Translation of concubine for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up concubine? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!