concubine

noun

con·​cu·​bine ˈkäŋ-kyu̇-ˌbīn 

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

b

: mistress sense 4a

Synonyms

• doxy
• doxie
• mistress
• other woman

Examples of concubine in a Sentence

the offspring of one of the monarch's concubines

Recent Examples on the Web

Faces painted white, surrounded by concubines of every gender, Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are utterly taken with the barbarian who can recite Virgil while covered in another man’s blood, after Macrinus presents Lucius in a private showcase. —Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024

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

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

Kids Definition

concubine

noun

con·​cu·​bine ˈkäŋ-kyu̇-ˌbīn 

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