harem

noun

har·​em ˈher-əm 

1

a

: a usually secluded house or part of a house allotted to women in some Muslim households

b

: the wives, concubines, female relatives, and servants occupying a harem

2

informal : a group of women associated with one man

the pop star and his harem

3

: a group of females associated with one male

—used of polygamous animals

Researchers who study elk have determined that the males who possess the largest harems of females not only sport the largest racks of antlers, but also the most symmetrical ones.

—Natalie Angier

Did you know?

In a Muslim household, a harem is a part of a house set apart for women and from which nonfamily males are excluded. Harems existed in the pre-Islamic civilizations of the Middle East and in the courts of pre-Islamic Assyria, Persia, and Egypt. The harem was also found in the courts of China and Japan as well as in India and southeast Asia. Large harems for wives and concubines were common in wealthy Arab households into the 20th century; the great harem of the Turkish sultans (15th–20th century) contained several hundred women, guarded by eunuchs. By the later 20th century, the full harem system remained only among conservative elements of Arab society.

Examples of harem in a Sentence

the pop star and his harem

Recent Examples on the Web

Every red-blooded American male has no doubt fantasized about what went on in Hugh Hefner’s bedroom with his harem of blond bombshells. —Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2024

In her Venus Envy series of installations, Mesa-Bains looks at gendered spaces like convents or harems. —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 13 Jan. 2024

During the fall rutting season, bulls will separate from each other and seek out cows, which remain in harems (groups). —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 28 Sep. 2023

However, anecdotal reports of burros gnawing the latex paint off wood house trim, sauntering into neighborhoods on trash pickup days to sample the smorgasbord of urban discards, and wandering out into local highways to fight over territory and harems have increased in recent months. —Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023

In some species, the females will stay with their natal group, while in others, both sexes leave to join or form new harems. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 June 2023

When the settlement turned out to be more like a harem — and the harem’s shelter a roofless plywood box — Zahra fled. —Jennifer Reese, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2022

The team on this study recorded a society of about 400 individuals and breeding between individuals from different harems was common in golden snub-nosed monkeys. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 June 2023

Some odd-nosed monkeys still form harems, but aren’t territorial. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Arabic ḥarīm, literally, something forbidden & ḥaram, literally, sanctuary

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing harem

• harem pants

Kids Definition

harem

noun

har·​em ˈhar-əm 

ˈher-

1

a

: the rooms set apart for the women in some Muslim households

b

: the women of some Muslim households

2

: a group of female animals (as horses) associated with one male