prostitute

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɑstɪˌtu(ː)t/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
  2. verb sell one's body; exchange sex for money

Etymology

From Latin prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituō, from prō̆ (“for, before”) + statuō (“to set up, to erect”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

cocotte, whore, harlot, bawd, tart, cyprian, fancy woman, working girl, sporting lady, lady of pleasure, woman of the street

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
woman
Narrower (hyponyms)
call girl, demimondaine, camp follower, comfort woman, streetwalker, white slave

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