Harem (, Turkish, from ḥaram "forbidden place; sacrosanct, sanctum", related to ḥarīm, "a sacred inviolable place; female members of the family" and ḥarām, "forbidden; sacred") refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men. The term originated in the Near East. Harems are composed of wives and concubines. The South Asian equivalent for those that practice purdah is known as zenana.