1. (n.) A woman who cohabits with a man without being his wife; a paramour.
2. (n.) A wife of inferior condition; a lawful wife, but not united to the man by the usual ceremonies, and of inferior condition. Such were Hagar and Keturah, the concubines of Abraham; and such concubines were allowed by the Roman laws. Their children were not heirs of their father.
Thesaurus Entries
better half, bondmaid, bondman, bondslave, bondsman, bondswoman, captive, chattel, chattel slave, churl, common-law wife, debt slave, doxy, feme, feme covert, galley slave, goodwife, goody, helot, helpmate, helpmeet, homager, kept mistress, kept woman, lady, liege, liege man, liege subject, married woman, matron, mistress, odalisque, old lady, old woman, paramour, peon, playmate, rib, serf, servant, slave, squaw, subject, theow, thrall, unofficial wife, vassal, villein, wedded wife, wife, woman
