Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Concubine
Con′cu-bine
,Noun.
[F., fr. L.
concubina
; con-
+ cubare
to lie down, concumbere
to lie together, akin to E. cubit
.] 1.
A woman who cohabits with a man without being his wife; a paramour.
☞ Concubine has been sometimes, but rarely, used of a male paramour as well as of a female.
Trench.
2.
A wife of inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of inferior condition. Such were Hagar and Keturah, the concubines of Abraham; and such concubines were allowed by the Roman laws. Their children were not heirs of their father.
– Conˊcul-ca′tion
, Noun.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Concubine
CONCUBINE
,Noun.
1.
A woman who cohabits with a man, without the authority of a legal marriage; a woman kept for lewd purposes; a kept mistress.2.
A wife of inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of inferior condition. Such were Hagar and Keturah, the concubines of Abraham; and such concubines were allowed by the Roman laws.Definition 2024
concubine
concubine
English
Noun
concubine (plural concubines)
- A sexual partner, especially a woman, to whom one is not or cannot be married.
- A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.
- (chiefly historical) A slave-girl or woman, kept for instance in a harem, who is held for sexual service.
Derived terms
Translations
a woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife
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slave-girl — see slave-girl
mistress — see mistress
See also
References
- Random House Unabridged Dictionary