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Glite Dictionary
serail

serail

9.9
A private part of a Muslim household, traditionally where the man's wives and female relatives live separately
  • noun
  • /səˈraɪl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : serail
  • During the historical tour, we learned about the roles of women who lived in the serail of the sultan.

Examples

  • "I was very moved today to meet again with the Syrian families and to meet them here—not in a camp but in homes where they are welcomed and protected," the Girl, Interrupted star said after the meeting during a press conference at the Grand Serail.

    Blog text (5)

  • In a traditional Muslim household, the serail was a private space reserved for wives and female relatives.

  • The wealthy merchant's serail was known for its beautiful gardens and luxurious furnishings.

Synonyms

harem
vsserail
32 8.2

The part of a Muslim home where wives and other women live apart from men

is used especially to name that household section in past times
hareem
vsserail
  • NSFW
1 9.9

A private part of a Muslim household where women live apart from men

does not stress seclusion and instead highlights the specific members
seraglio
vsserail
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Part of a palace, often in the past, where a ruler's wives and female relatives lived

is the reserved household section, not the entire palace or royal residence
harim
vsserail
9.9

A private part of a Muslim home where women live and men do not enter

is narrower, naming specific wives and relatives rather than any women

Surface Forms

serail singular
serails plural

Etymology

Serail comes from the Turkish and Persian word saray, which means 'palace' or 'enclosed place'. Europeans used the form seraglio for the private women's area of a house, like a harem, so serail today means the part of a household kept for wives, concubines, and female relatives.