The word concubine comes from the Latin verb, cubare, which means "to lie down." The word developed in Middle English in the 13th Century, and is another name for a woman taken as a mistress.

What is the real meaning of concubine?

: a woman with whom a man cohabits without being married: such as. a : one having a recognized social status in a household below that of a wife.

How is a concubine different from a wife?

The position of the concubine was generally inferior to that of the wife. Although a concubine could produce heirs, her children would be inferior in social status to a wife's children, although they were of higher status than illegitimate children.