concubine

noun

con·​cu·​bine ˈkäŋ-kyu̇-ˌbīn How to pronounce concubine (audio)
ˈkän-,
-kyü-
: 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

Examples of concubine in a Sentence

the offspring of one of the monarch's concubines
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Luckily for fans turned on by Shogun to the cunning machinations of feudal Japanese lords, swordsmen, concubines and ladies in waiting, the well of samurai storytelling that inspired Shogun and Clavell’s book is very deep indeed. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024 Nothing in the original text of the Ten Commandments prohibits a married man from sleeping with an unmarried woman, concubine or enslaved person. Kenneth Seeskin, Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2024 Achilles, enraged that Agamemnon has stolen his war-prize concubine, vows to hang up his armor. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024 This large number likely resulted from his descendants taking many wives and concubines. Laura Clark, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for concubine 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin concubina, from com- + cubare to lie

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of concubine was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near concubine

Cite this Entry

“Concubine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concubine. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

concubine

noun
con·​cu·​bine ˈkäŋ-kyu̇-ˌbīn How to pronounce concubine (audio)
ˈkän-
: a woman who lives with a man and in some societies has a legally recognized social status in a household below that of a wife

More from Merriam-Webster on concubine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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