harem
/ˈhæɹəm/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.13 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A group of someone's girlfriends, wives and/or concubines in a polygamous household.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- ""In the room next to her own, lived the harem of a merchant who had just arrived from Constantinople with merchandise. It consisted of his wife, children, and two female slaves, who being well off in their circumstances, enjoyed the comforts and conveniences of life, and eat and drank unsparingly every day.""
- "I nodded my head and proceeded to make a flank attack on the nearest harem. All went well until I aimed a blow at an outlying cow's head and fell short. She snorted and tried to scramble away. I ran in close and struck another blow, hitting the shoulder instead of the head."
- "2006 Maestripieri, Dario; Mayhew, Jessica; Carlson, Cindy L.; Hoffman, Christy L.; and Radtke, Jennifer M. "One-Male Harems and Female Social Dynamics in Guinea Baboons", published in Folia Primatol 2007; 78:56–68, doi 10.1159/000095686"
- "In the meantime we were hidden in a close juniper thicket on the little knoll, and expected the capercailzie cock every moment; but our old friend tarried a long time in his harem."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: حرم, حَرَم, ح ر م
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhæɹəm/
- British English: /ˈhɑːɹəm/