concubine
n.n. a woman who lives with a man as his wife but is not married to him. This was a common practice in some cultures in the past.
n. a woman who maintains a sexual relationship with a man to whom she is not legally married. Historically significant in various legal and social systems, particularly in East Asia and the Islamic world.
The historical novel explores the life of a concubine in the palace.
In some historical legal systems, a concubine could gain certain rights if she bore a child for her partner.
The study examines how the status of a concubine varied across different dynasties, often reflecting the broader social hierarchy and the power dynamics within the household.
From Middle English concubine (first attested 1250–1300), from Anglo-Norman concubine, from Latin concubīna, equivalent to concub- (variant stem of concumbō (“to lie together”)) + feminine suffix -īna.