courtesan
or cour·te·zan
[ kawr-tuh-zuh n, kohr-, kur- ]
/ ˈkɔr tə zən, ˈkoʊr-, ˈkɜr- /
noun
a prostitute or paramour, especially one associating with noblemen or men of wealth.
Words nearby courtesan
court-bouillon, court-leet, court-martial, courtelle, courteous, courtesan, courtesy, courtesy car, courtesy card, courtesy light, courtesy title
Origin of courtesan
1540–50; < Middle French courtisane < Italian cortigiana, literally, woman of the court, derivative of corte court
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for courtesan
British Dictionary definitions for courtesan
courtesan
courtezan
/ (ˌkɔːtɪˈzæn) /
noun
(esp formerly) a prostitute, or the mistress of a man of rank
Word Origin for courtesan
C16: from Old French courtisane, from Italian cortigiana female courtier, from cortigiano courtier, from corte court
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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