harlot

American  

[hahr-luht] / ˈhɑr lət /

noun

Archaic.

1. a prostitute or sexually promiscuous woman.

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harlot British  

/ ˈhɑːlət /

noun

1. a prostitute or promiscuous woman

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adjective

1. archaic of or like a harlot

Other Word Forms

• harlotry
  noun

Etymology

Origin of harlot

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English: “young idler, rogue,” from Old French herlot, of obscure origin

Explanation

Harlot is an old-fashioned word for a prostitute — a woman who has sex for money. These days, calling a woman a harlot is usually done humorously. This word is too old-sounding and unusual to be very insulting. Still, you shouldn't call anyone a harlot, because it's a term — just like "whore," "strumpet," and "lady of the night" — for a woman who has sex for money. That's never been a compliment, even though today the world's oldest profession has a much nicer term: sex worker.

Example Sentences

Throughout the years — an astonishing 22 of them — Ms. Abrera has checked off other characters in “Romeo and Juliet”: She’s played a harlot, Rosaline and Lady Capulet.

From New York Times • Jun. 8, 2018

Words such as scold, shrew, termagent, witch, harlot, bawd, and tramp were all at one point in their histories terms for men; furthermore, the terms were usually neutral and sometimes even adulatory.

From Salon • May 11, 2013

In the wake of feminism, and postmodern drama, it's not uncommon now to portray Carmen as more heroine than harlot.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 5, 2011

So the translators revived the old rule of "thou" for singular – whether to God or a harlot – and "you" for plural.

From The Guardian • Mar. 1, 2011

The sermon had meandered from the pious Susanna to Rahab, the harlot of Jericho.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver