concubine

noun

con·cu·bine | \ ˈkäŋ-kyu̇-ˌbīn

How to pronounce concubine (audio)

, ˈkän-, -kyü- \

Definition of concubine

: a woman with whom a man cohabits without being married: such as

a : one having a recognized social status in a household below that of a wife

b : mistress sense 4a

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Synonyms for concubine

Synonyms

Examples of concubine in a Sentence

spent an exorbitant sum on furnishing living quarters for his concubine

Recent Examples on the Web Per the statement, a number of artifacts found in KV55’s tomb point to his identity as Akhenaten: for instance, bricks inscribed with the pharaoh’s name, as well as a sarcophagus and canopic jars associated with Kiya, Akhenaten’s concubine. — Isis Davis-marks, Smithsonian Magazine, "Is This the Face of King Tut’s Father, Pharaoh Akhenaten?," 29 Mar. 2021 The snarling and spitting and posturing; the plotlessness; Kiefer Sutherland’s attempts to bully a Chinese concubine (Alice Carter) into leaving Jack Palance. — Wesley Morris, New York Times, "Uncouth, Cranky and Rude: Movies in 1988 Were a Far Cry From Today," 2 Oct. 2020 The smuggler, played by Michael Pitt, soon becomes obsessed with the concubine of a local baron (Ashina). — Alexia Fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Silk Star Sei Ashina Found Dead in Her Tokyo Apartment at 36," 15 Sep. 2020 Her son would inherit the throne over the current Crown Prince, Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who was born to a concubine. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Review: Kingdom is better (and more relevant) than ever in S2," 22 Mar. 2020 Part historical fiction, part fantasy, this novel of the Spanish Inquisition centers on Fatima, a favorite concubine of the last sultan of Granada. — Tina Jordan, New York Times, "New in Paperback: ‘Savage Feast’ and ‘The Bird King’," 27 Mar. 2020 Her son would inherit the throne over the current Crown Prince, Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who was born to a concubine. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Review: Kingdom is better (and more relevant) than ever in S2," 22 Mar. 2020 Her son would inherit the throne over the current Crown Prince, Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who was born to a concubine. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Review: Kingdom is better (and more relevant) than ever in S2," 22 Mar. 2020 Her son would inherit the throne over the current Crown Prince, Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), who was born to a concubine. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Review: Kingdom is better (and more relevant) than ever in S2," 22 Mar. 2020

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.

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Last Updated

11 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Concubine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concubine. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for concubine

concubine

noun

English Language Learners Definition of concubine

: an unmarried woman who has sex with a man and lives with the man and his wife or wives

See the full definition for concubine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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