Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hetaera

American  
[hi-teer-uh] / hɪˈtɪər ə /

noun

plural

hetaerae

  1. a highly cultured courtesan or concubine, especially in ancient Greece.

  2. any woman who uses her beauty and charm to obtain wealth or social position.

hetaera British  
/ hɪˈtaɪrə, hɪˈtɪərə /

noun

  1. (esp in ancient Greece) a female prostitute, esp an educated courtesan

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of hetaera

First recorded in 1810–20, hetaera is from the Greek word hetaíra (feminine) companion

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.