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concubine

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The definition of a concubine is a woman who is a mistress to a man with a wife or who cannot be married to her because of a difference in social status.

(noun)

An example of a concubine is one of the mistresses of an important king who has many wives and mistresses.

See concubine in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Law a woman who cohabits with a man although not legally married to him
in certain polygamous societies, a secondary wife, of inferior social and legal status

Origin: ME < OFr concubin(e) < L concubina (masc. concubinus) < concumbere, to lie with < com-, with + cubare, to lie down: see cube

See concubine in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Law A woman who cohabits with a man without being legally married to him.
In certain societies, such as imperial China, a woman contracted to a man as a secondary wife, often having few legal rights and low social status.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin concubīna

Origin: : com-, com-

Origin: + cubāre, to lie down

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