prostitute
pronunciation
How to pronounce prostitute in British English:
UK [ˈprɒstɪtju:t]
How to pronounce prostitute in American English:
US [ˈprɑstətut]
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- Noun:
- a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
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- Verb:
- sell one's body; exchange sex for money
Word Origin
- prostitute
- prostitute: [16] To prostitute something is etymologically to ‘set it up in front of everyone’. The word comes from the past participle of Latin prōstituere, a compound formed from the prefix prō- ‘before, in public’ and statuere ‘set, place’ (source of English statute). The Latin verb evolved semantically via ‘expose publicly’ and ‘offer for sale’ to ‘make available for sex in return for money’, and the feminine form of its past participle, prōstitūta, foreshadows its English noun descendant prostitute.=> statue, status, statute
- prostitute (v.)
- 1520s, "to offer to indiscriminate sexual intercourse (usually in exchange for money)," from Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere "to expose to prostitution, expose publicly," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + statuere "cause to stand, establish," from PIE root *sta- "to stand," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing" (see stet). Related: Prostituted; prostituting. The notion of "sex for hire" is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one "exposed to lust" or sex "indiscriminately offered." However, this is now almost the official European term for the institution: German prostituierte, Russian prostitutka, etc. Figurative sense (of abilities, etc.) is from 1570s. Of men, in reference to homosexual acts, from 1886 (in form prostitution); phrase male prostitute attested by 1948.
- prostitute (n.)
- "harlot, woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money)," 1610s, from Latin prostituta "prostitute," fem. of prostitutus, past participle of prostituere (see prostitute (v.)).
Example
- 1. Another time , I interviewed a young homeless prostitute .
- 2. An escort offers an evening of companionship that may include sex , while a prostitute sells sex itself .
- 3. The former new york governor , who resigned in disgrace a year ago after getting caught patronizing a prostitute in a washington hotel , has purchased a prominent office building blocks from the white house through his father 's real-estate company .
- 4. Does getting more from a no strings attached sexual relationship make you a prostitute ?
- 5. His zeal was undoubtedly fired by the fact that he was the son of a prostitute .