harlot
- a prostitute; whore.
Origin of harlot
Examples from the Web for harlot
Contemporary Examples
Despite rumors spreading that his daughter is a harlot, Dill (Stanley Tucci) has complete and utter faith in her, no matter what.
Others branded 22-year-old Stewart a harlot and the death threats began rolling in.
Historical Examples
Is he not attired as becometh the bridegroom of the harlot of Rome?
Micah ClarkeArthur Conan Doyle
Leave your theory, as Joseph his coat in the hand of the harlot, and flee.
Essays, First SeriesRalph Waldo Emerson
Would that harlot know, would she suspect that 'twas your hand did this?
The Sea-HawkRaphael Sabatini
Ukhatu is a name for a harlot devoted to the worship of Ishtar.
The Religion of Babylonia and AssyriaMorris Jastrow
A harlot's daughter you are, my dear; you must be a harlot too if you want to become anything at all.
The NabobAlphonse Daudet
harlot
- a prostitute or promiscuous woman
- archaic of or like a harlot
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for harlot
n.
c.1200 (late 12c. in surnames), "vagabond, man of no fixed occupation, idle rogue," from Old French herlot, arlot "vagabond, tramp" (usually male in Middle English and Old French), with forms in Old Provençal (arlot), Old Spanish (arlote), and Italian (arlotto); of unknown origin. Used in both positive and pejorative senses by Chaucer; applied in Middle English to jesters, buffoons, jugglers, later to actors. Sense of "prostitute, unchaste woman" probably had developed by 14c., certainly by early 15c., but this was reinforced by use as euphemism for "strumpet, whore" in 16c. translations of the Bible. The word may be Germanic, with an original sense of "camp follower," if the first element is hari "army," as some suspect.