Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

harem

/ˈhæɹəm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.13 in modern English

Syllables
harem
IPA
/ˈhæɹəm/
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The private section of a Muslim household forbidden to male strangers.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A group of someone's girlfriends, wives and/or concubines in a polygamous household.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A group of female birds mated to or associated with a breeding male.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Any significant number of women together as a group; a bevy.

Countable; Slang; Uncountable

noun

A genre of anime and manga in which a man is the love interest of three or more women.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حرم (harem) (whence Turkish harem), from Arabic حَرَم (ḥaram, “something prohibited; sanctuary, women”); and later also from حَرِيم (ḥarīm) with same meaning, both from حَرُمَ (ḥaruma, “be forbidden or unlawful”). Doublet of haram and herem.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: حرم, حَرَم, ح ر م

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈhæɹəm/
  • British English: /ˈhɑːɹəm/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce harem?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhæɹəm/.
What does harem mean?
The private section of a Muslim household forbidden to male strangers.
Where does harem come from?
It is traced to Arabic.

How to pronounce harem

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “harem”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhæɹəm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “harem”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “harem” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.