monogynous

/mɔ'nɔdʤinəs/

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The word "monogynous" is an adjective used mainly in biology and anthropology. It describes a situation where a male has one main female partner or wife at a time, but he may also have additional female partners, known as concubines.

Simple Explanation:

• Monogynous means "having one main wife."
• In some cultures, a man may be married to one woman (his chief wife) while also having other women who live with him but are not considered his main wife.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "monogynous" when talking about relationships, especially in the context of certain societies or animal species.
• It is not commonly used in everyday conversation but might come up in discussions about culture, sociology, or animal behavior.

Example:

• "In some ancient cultures, men were often monogynous, having one main wife and several concubines."

Advanced Usage:

• In discussions about social structures, you might say, "The monogynous system in this society allowed for the establishment of clear lineage and inheritance."

Word Variants:

• The word "monogynous" can be broken down into:
  • Monogyny (noun): The practice or condition of having one main wife.
  • Monogamous: A related term that refers to having only one partner at a time, but is not specific to gender.

Different Meanings:

• The term is primarily used in a specific cultural or biological context and does not have many alternate meanings outside of that scope.

Synonyms:

• Monogamous (though this is more general and does not imply concubines).

Related Terms:

• Polygynous: This is the opposite of monogynous, where a male has multiple wives at the same time.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs specifically related to "monogynous," as it is a technical term.

Summary:

"Monogynous" refers to a man having one main wife while possibly having other female partners.

Academic

Adjective

1. having one head or chief wife at a time (along with concubines)

Synonyms

• monogynic