It comes from the Arabic: ḥarīm, which can mean "a sacred inviolable place", "harem" or "female members of the family". In English the term harem can mean also "the wives (or concubines) of a …

HAREM definition: 1. especially in the past in some Muslim societies, the wives or other female sexual partners of a…. Learn more.

In a Muslim household, a harem is a part of a house set apart for women and from which nonfamily males are excluded. Harems existed in the pre-Islamic civilizations of the Middle East and in the …

HAREM definition: the part of a Muslim palace or house reserved for the residence of women. See examples of harem used in a sentence.

Definition of harem noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Define harem. harem synonyms, harem pronunciation, harem translation, English dictionary definition of harem. n. 1. A house or a section of a house reserved for women members of a Muslim household. …

In the past, if a man, especially a Muslim, had several wives or sexual partners living in his house, they were often referred to as his harem.

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun harem, one of which is considered derogatory. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Nov 8, 2025 · harem (countable and uncountable, plural harems) The private section of a Muslim household forbidden to male strangers. [from 1841] quotations

har•em (hâr′ əm, har′ -), n. the part of a Muslim palace or house reserved for the residence of women. the women in a Muslim household, including the mother, sisters, wives, concubines, daughters, …