concubinary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/RareFormal, Academic, Historical
Quick answer
What does “concubinary” mean?
Relating to, involving, or characteristic of a concubine (a woman who cohabits with a man but is not his legal wife).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to, involving, or characteristic of a concubine (a woman who cohabits with a man but is not his legal wife).
Pertaining to a state of cohabitation outside of marriage, or to a relationship that is not formally recognized or sanctioned. In broader historical or anthropological contexts, it can refer to the practices or social systems associated with such arrangements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term carries strong connotations of historical, often pre-modern, social structures, or biblical contexts. It is neutral in tone but describes an arrangement that is culturally and legally marginal.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical or Commonwealth legal texts due to older statute references, but this is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “concubinary” in a Sentence
[be] concubinary[have] a concubinary relationship with [someone][enter into] a concubinary unionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “concubinary” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The ancient law code made provisions for concubinary unions and their offspring.
- Her status was concubinary, not wifely, which affected her legal rights.
American English
- The historical treatise examined the role of concubinary relationships in the dynasty.
- They lived in a concubinary arrangement not recognized by the state.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, legal, anthropological, or religious studies to describe specific types of cohabitation or social structures, e.g., 'The king's concubinary alliances were key to regional diplomacy.'
Everyday
Virtually never used. Would sound archaic or overly formal.
Technical
In historical/legal contexts, to denote a specific category of relationship distinct from legal marriage.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “concubinary”
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'He had a concubinary') instead of an adjective. Overusing in modern contexts where 'cohabiting' is appropriate. Mispronouncing with stress on the first syllable (/ˈkɒnkjʊbɪnəri/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare, formal adjective used primarily in academic or historical writing.
'Concubine' is a noun for the woman in such a relationship. 'Concubinary' is an adjective describing things related to that relationship or status.
It would sound very archaic and odd. Modern terms like 'cohabiting', 'de facto', or 'unmarried partner' are used instead.
No, standard English does not have a verb derived from 'concubine'. The concept is expressed with phrases like 'to take as a concubine' or 'to cohabit with'.
Relating to, involving, or characteristic of a concubine (a woman who cohabits with a man but is not his legal wife).
Concubinary is usually formal, academic, historical in register.
Concubinary: in British English it is pronounced /kɒnˈkjuːbɪn(ə)ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /kɑnˈkjubɪˌnɛri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CONCUBINE + ARY (like 'library' but for a concubine). It describes things related to a concubine.
Conceptual Metaphor
RELATIONSHIP AS A FORMAL CONTRACT (but an inferior or unofficial one).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'concubinary' MOST likely to be found?