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Definition of prostitute - 8 dictionary results

pros⋅ti⋅tute

  [pros-ti-toot, -tyoot] noun, verb, -tut⋅ed, -tut⋅ing.
Use prostitute in a Sentence
–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.
Origin:
1520–30; < L prōstitūta, n. use of fem. of prōstitūtus, ptp. of prōstituere to expose (for sale), equiv. to prō- pro- 1 + -stitū-, comb. form of var. s. of statuere to cause to stand + -tus ptp. suffix; see status

Related forms:
pros⋅ti⋅tu⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1. call girl, streetwalker, courtesan; trollop, strumpet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pros·ti·tute   (prŏs'tĭ-tōōt', -tyōōt')   
n.  
  1. One who solicits and accepts payment for sex acts.
  2. One who sells one's abilities, talent, or name for an unworthy purpose.
tr.v.   pros·ti·tut·ed, pros·ti·tut·ing, pros·ti·tutes
  1. To offer (oneself or another) for sexual hire.
  2. To sell (oneself or one's talent, for example) for an unworthy purpose.

[Latin prōstitūta, from feminine past participle of prōstituere, to prostitute : prō-, in front; see pro-1 + statuere, to cause to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
pros'ti·tu'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Prostitute

Pros"ti*tute\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prostituted; p. pr. & vb. n. Prostituting.] [L. prostitutus, p. p. of prostituere to prostitute; pro before, forth + statuere to put, place. See Statute.]

1. To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use; to give up to lewdness for hire. "Do not prostitute thy daughter." --Lev. xix. 29.

2. To devote to base or unworthy purposes; to give up to low or indiscriminate use; as, to prostitute talents; to prostitute official powers. --Milton.

Prostitute

Pros"ti*tute\, a. [L. prostitutus, p. p.] Openly given up to lewdness; devoted to base or infamous purposes.

Made bold by want, and prostitute for bread. --Prior

Prostitute

Pros"ti*tute\, n. [L. prostituta.]

1. A woman giver to indiscriminate lewdness; a strumpet; a harlot.

2. A base hireling; a mercenary; one who offers himself to infamous employments for hire.

No hireling she, no prostitute to praise. --Pope.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : prostitute
Spanish: prostituto; prostituta,
German: die Prostituierte,
Japanese: 売春婦
More Translations »

prostitute  (v.)
1530, "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 1613, 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. protstituierte, Rus. prostitutka, etc. Fig. sense (of abilities, etc.) is from 1593. The noun meaning "a woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money) is from 1613. Of men, in ref. to homosexual acts, recorded from 1886 (in form prostitution).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pros·ti·tute
Pronunciation: 'präs-t&-"tüt, -"tyüt
Function: noun
: a person who engages in sexual activity indiscriminately esp. for money —compare PANDERER, PIMP

Main Entry: prostitute
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -tut·ed; -tut·ing
Etymology: Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere, from pro- before + statuere to cause to stand, place
: to offer as a prostitute
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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