harem

Meanings

1. The private section of a Muslim household forbidden to male strangers.
2. A group of someone's girlfriends, wives and/or concubines in a polygamous household.
3. A group of female animals (cows) herded and controlled by a male animal (bull) of that species for breeding purposes. Such behaviour is exhibited by bovids including cattle and buffalo as well as moose, elephants, seals (including elephant seals), sea lions, and baboons.
4. A group of female birds mated to or associated with a breeding male.
5. Any significant number of women together as a group; a bevy.
6. A genre of anime and manga in which a man is the love interest of three or more women.

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حرم (harem) (whence Turkish harem), from Arabic حَرَم (ḥaram, “something prohibited; sanctuary, women”); and later also from حَرِيم (ḥarīm) with same meaning, both from حَرُمَ (ḥaruma, “be forbidden or unlawful”). Doublet of haram and herem.