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.