[har.em] n [Ar harim, lit., something forbidden & haram, lit., sanctuary] (1623) 1 a: a usu. secluded house or part of a house allotted to women in a Muslim household b: the wives, concubines, female relatives, and servants occupying a harem
2: a group of women associated with one man
3: a group of females associated with one male--used of polygamous animals