Concubinage

Concubinage refers to a relationship where a person lives with a partner in a long-term, committed manner, similar to marriage, but without formal legal recognition or marriage status. Historically, it often involved a man having a secondary partner who had limited rights compared to a wife. While it can resemble marriage in practice, legally or socially, it lacked formal acknowledgment. The practice has been present in various cultures and times, but many societies have moved toward recognizing only legally married partners today.