zenana

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zenana

/zəˈnɑːnə/

Where it comes from

From Hindi ज़नाना (zanānā), Urdu زنانه (zanānah), from Classical Persian زنانه (zanāna, “womanly”), from زن (zan, “woman”). Related to Old English cwene (“woman”). More at quean.

noun zenanas · zanána · zanana

South Asia Synonym of harem (“area of house or palace for high-caste women or wives of a wealthy man; the women thus kept; the system of segregating women in this way”). Depend upon it, Solomon would never have built altars to Ashtaroth and all those ladies with queer names, if there had not been trouble of some kind in his zenana, and nowhere else.
Similar: harem
South Asia Synonym of sissy (“effeminate man”).
Similar: sissy
South Asia Synonym of bottom (“passive partner in male homosexual sex”), especially an effeminate one. In parts of North India, effeminate males who are assumed to play the passive role in homosexual relationships are referred to as zenana, literally meaning woman.
Similar: bottom
South Asia Synonym of trans woman. For some years past the zanánas have celebrated the Holi as a carnival. They assume female names, by which they are called in their own circle. Most of them are beardless youth; those who have beards shave them. Náz nakhra (flirtation) becomes their second nature.
Similar: trans woman

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MLA

"zenana." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/zenana. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

zenana. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/zenana

Chicago

"zenana." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/zenana.

BibTeX

@misc{zenana_2026,
  title = {zenana},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/zenana},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}