odalisque (2009-04-25)

Part of Speech: noun

Pronunciation: ['o-d(ê)-lisk]

Definition: A concubine in a harem, a female slave.

Usage: A "seraglio" was either the collection of odalisques (the harem) or their quarters in the palace: "That misbegotten lothario, Boris, treats the temp pool as his seraglio and the temps, his own odalisques." (It may be time to give Boris a wake-up call.) Nowadays "seraglio" refers most often to the palace itself. "I'm treated like a domestic odalisque at home, only the home is not a seraglio (palace)."

Suggested Usage: It is amazing how mellifluous French (odalisque) and Italian words (serraglio) sound in English (seraglio), even if their meanings are a bit malodorous. Since maintenance of harems of odalisques in seraglios is now frowned upon throughout the civilized world, today's word is rarely used outside discussions of the famous paintings of odalisques by Ingres and Matisse. Still, there may be a metaphorical niche for these Turkish contributions to our languages.

Etymology: French spelling of Turkish odalik, from oda "room" + -lik abstract noun suffix.