tɪˌtut, -ˌtyut noun
1.
a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money; whore; harlot.
2.
a man who engages in sexual acts for money.
3.
a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money.
verb (used with object)
4.
to sell or offer (oneself) as a prostitute.
5.
to put to any base or unworthy use: to prostitute one's talents.
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Origin:
1520–30; < Latin prōstitūta, noun use of feminine of prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituere to expose (for sale), equivalent to prō- pro-1 + -stitū-, combining form of variant stem of statuere to cause to stand + -tus past participle suffix; see status
1520–30; < Latin prōstitūta, noun use of feminine of prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituere to expose (for sale), equivalent to prō- pro-1 + -stitū-, combining form of variant stem of statuere to cause to stand + -tus past participle suffix; see status
Related forms
pros·ti·tu·tor, noun
un·pros·ti·tut·ed, adjective
Synonyms
1. call girl, streetwalker, courtesan; trollop, strumpet.
1. call girl, streetwalker, courtesan; trollop, strumpet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To prostitute
Collins
World English Dictionary
prostitute (ˈprɒstɪˌtjuːt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money |
| 2. | a man who engages in such activity, esp in homosexual practices |
| 3. | a person who offers his talent or work for unworthy purposes |
| —vb | |
| 4. | to offer (oneself or another) in sexual intercourse for money |
| 5. | to offer (a person, esp oneself, or a person's talent) for unworthy purposes |
| [C16: from Latin prōstituere to expose to prostitution, from prō- in public + statuere to cause to stand] | |
| prosti'tution | |
| —n | |
| 'prostitutor | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
prostitute
1520s, "to offer to indiscriminate sexual intercourse (usually in exchange for money)," from L. prostituere "to expose to prostitution, expose publicly," from pro- "before" + statuere "cause to stand, establish" (see stature). The noun sense of "harlot" is from 1610s, from
L. prostituta "prostitute," fem. of prostitutus, pp. of prostituere. 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, e.g. Ger. prostituierte, Rus. prostitutka, etc. Figurative sense (of abilities, etc.) is from 1590s. The noun meaning "a woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money) is from 1610s. Of men, in reference to homosexual acts, recorded from 1886 (in form prostitution).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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