harlot
UK /ˈhɑːlət/ · US /ˈhɑɹlət/ noun, verb, adjective
Forms harlots harloting harlotting harloted harlotted
- noun (derogatory, offensive, dated) A female prostitute.
- noun (derogatory, offensive) A female who is considered promiscuous.
- noun (obsolete) A churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth, especially one given to low conduct.
- verb (intransitive) To play the harlot; to practice lewdness.
- adjective (now uncommon) Wanton; lewd; low; base.
Synonyms
abandons alley cat almah bangtail Bankside lady bargirl bat beotch blouze blowen blowsabella brass nail brasser brass broad business girl calico queen callet cat chippy prostitute cocotte whore bawd tart cyprian fancy woman working girl sporting lady lady of pleasure
Etymology
From Middle English harlot, from Old French harlot, herlot, arlot (“vagabond; tramp”), of obscure origin. Likely to be ultimately of Germanic origin, either from a derivation of *harjaz (“army; camp; warrior; military leader”) or from a diminutive of *karilaz (“man; fellow”). Compare English carlot.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth.
- noun A person given to low conduct; a rogue; a cheat; a rascal. [Obs.]
- adjective Wanton; lewd; low; base. Shak.
- verb To play the harlot; to practice lewdness. Milton.
Etymology [OE.harlot, herlot, a vagabond, OF. harlot, herlot, arlot; cf. Pr. arlot, Sp. arlote, It. arlotto; of uncertain origin.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “harlot”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details