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Concubine vs Paramour - What's the difference?

concubine | paramour |

As nouns the difference between concubine and paramour

is that concubine is a woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife while paramour is an illicit lover, either male or female.

As an adverb paramour is

passionately, out of sexual desire; devotedly.

concubine

English

(concubinage)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife.
  • A slave-girl for sexual service prominent in all ancient cultures.
  • Signifies a relationship where the male is the dominant partner, socially and economically
  • A woman attached to a man solely for reproduction, and who cares for the resulting children without any romantic relationship.
  • a woman residing in a harem and kept, as by a sultan or emperor, for sexual purposes.
  • A woman kept by a man who is high in hierarchial society in addition to his wives, e.g in the imperial harem or within a household.

    • Derived terms

    * concubinage

    See also

    * harem * polygamy * co-wife * seraglio

    References

    * Random House Unabridged Dictionary ----

    paramour

    English

    Alternative forms

    * paramours

    Adverb

    (-)
  • *Chaucer
  • *:For par amour I loved her first ere thou.
  • *:
  • *:Is this trouthe said Palomydes / Thenne shall we hastely here of sire Tristram / And as for to say that I loue la Beale Isoud peramours I dare make good that I doo / and that she hath my seruyse aboue alle other ladyes / and shalle haue the terme of my lyf

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An illicit lover, either male or female.
  • * (rfdate), Macaulay:
    • The seducer appeared with dauntless front, accompanied by his paramour .

    Synonyms

    * (l) * (l)