concubinage
1 synonym for concubinage, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The practice, recognised in some historical and legal systems, of a man and a woman living together in a lasting relationship that carries fewer rights than marriage.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use concubinage
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
live in concubinage
the practice of concubinage
marriage and concubinage
Formal, legal and historical writing.
Etymology
Through French from Latin concubina "concubine", from con- "with" and cubare "to lie".
Full origin of concubinage →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between concubinage and marriage?
Both describe a settled union between two people, but marriage confers full legal status on the partners and their children, while concubinage historically conferred a lesser status or none at all. In systems that recognised it, concubinage was tolerated rather than celebrated, and inheritance rights were usually restricted.
Is concubinage still a legal term anywhere?
Some civil-law jurisdictions still use concubinage, or its local equivalent, for unmarried couples living together, sometimes with limited rights over property or social benefits. In everyday English the word is mostly historical.
Is concubinage the same as cohabitation?
Not quite. Cohabitation is the neutral modern term for any couple living together without marrying. Concubinage carries the extra sense of a formally recognised but subordinate status, and it usually appears in discussion of ancient, medieval or colonial societies.
