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
Examples of concubine in a Sentence
the offspring of one of the monarch's concubines
Recent Examples on the Web
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 
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.
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
Dictionary Entries Near concubine
Cite this Entry
“Concubine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concubine. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share