mistresses (romantic partners) en

Women who have a romantic relationship with a man without being his wife. The term today usually has a negative connotation, and is generally only used in the context of certain historical periods. The mistress may be a powerful person in the household, even bearing children; it is often used when the husband is married to another person. Its usage can overlap with "concubines," although "mistresses" is typically preferred in historical periods of Europe and elsewhere in the West.