conˈcubinage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic, Historical, Literary
Quick answer
What does “conˈcubinage” mean?
The state of living together as husband and wife without being legally married.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The state of living together as husband and wife without being legally married; a cohabiting relationship, often long-term.
Historically, a recognized relationship in which a man (often of high status) and a woman (of lower status) cohabit, often with legal or social standing but without the full rights of marriage. Also refers to the practice of having a concubine.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties treat it as a formal/historical term.
Connotations
In both varieties, it evokes historical, anthropological, or religious contexts (e.g., ancient societies, royal courts, biblical/middle eastern history).
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both regions, used almost exclusively in academic, historical, or religious discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “conˈcubinage” in a Sentence
[Verb] concubinage (e.g., to practice, abolish, legalise)[Prepositional] in concubinage (with someone)[Adjectival] (historical/royal/formal) concubinageVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “conˈcubinage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The king was known to concubinage with several women of the court.
- The law no longer recognises or permits individuals to concubinage.
American English
- The ruler could legally concubinage with women from conquered tribes.
- They chose to concubinage rather than marry formally.
adverb
British English
- They lived concubinagely for many years.
- (Extremely rare and non-standard formation)
American English
- He kept her concubinagely, not as a wife.
- (Extremely rare and non-standard formation)
adjective
British English
- They were in a concubinage relationship for decades.
- The concubinage system was formally abolished.
American English
- He had several concubinage arrangements documented in the records.
- The concubinage status granted limited inheritance rights.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, legal, anthropological, and religious studies to describe specific social institutions.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Living together' or 'cohabiting' are the common terms.
Technical
Used in specific historical/legal texts to denote a legally/socially defined but non-marital cohabiting relationship.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “conˈcubinage”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “conˈcubinage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “conˈcubinage”
- Pronouncing it /ˈkɒnkjʊbaɪnɪdʒ/ (wrong stress and vowel in second syllable).
- Using it to refer to modern, egalitarian cohabiting couples.
- Confusing it with 'bigamy' or 'polygamy' (which involve multiple marriages).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it involves cohabitation, it specifically refers to a historically or legally defined institution where the relationship is often unequal (e.g., a man and a lower-status woman) and lacks the full social/legal standing of marriage.
Very rarely. Most modern legal systems use terms like 'common-law marriage', 'de facto relationship', or simply 'cohabitation'. 'Concubinage' is largely confined to historical or comparative legal studies.
Polygamy is the practice of having multiple spouses simultaneously (marriages). Concubinage involves cohabitation in a secondary, non-marital status. A man in a polygamous society has multiple wives; a man with a concubine has one wife (or none) and one or more concubines.
It is extremely rare and not standard in modern English. The noun 'concubinage' is used, and one would say 'to practice concubinage' or 'to live in concubinage' instead.
The state of living together as husband and wife without being legally married.
Conˈcubinage is usually formal, academic, historical, literary in register.
Conˈcubinage: in British English it is pronounced /kɒnˈkjuːbɪnɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kɑːnˈkjuːbɪnɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. The term itself is technical and not used in idiomatic phrases.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'con-' (together) + 'cubine' (like a cabin/cubicle for a lower-status partner) + '-age' (state of). The state of being a 'concubine' together.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONCUBINAGE IS A FORMALIZED SECOND-TIER UNION (as opposed to marriage as the first-tier).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'concubinage' MOST appropriately used?