The word has been recorded in the English language since early 17th century. It comes from the Arabic "ḥarīm", which can mean "a sacred inviolable place", "harem" or "female members of the family". In English the term harem can mean also "the wives (or concubines) of a polygamous man." The triliteral "Ḥ-R-M" appears in other terms related to the notion of interdiction such as "haram" (forbidden), "mahram" (unmarriageable relative), "ihram" (a pilgrim's state of ritual consecration during the Hajj) and "al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf" ("the noble sanctuary", which can refer to the Temple Mount or the sanctuary of Mecca).