Dictionary.com

prostitute

[ pros-ti-toot, -tyoot ]
/ ˈprɒs tɪˌtut, -ˌtyut /
See synonyms for prostitute on Thesaurus.com

noun

a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money; whore; harlot.
a man who engages in sexual acts for money.
a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money.

verb (used with object), pros·ti·tut·ed, pros·ti·tut·ing.

to sell or offer (oneself) as a prostitute.
to put to any base or unworthy use: to prostitute one's talents.

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Origin of prostitute

1520–30; <Latin prōstitūta, noun use of feminine of prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituere to expose (for sale), equivalent to prō-pro-1 + -stitū-, combining form of variant stem of statuere to cause to stand + -tus past participle suffix; see status

OTHER WORDS FROM prostitute

pros·ti·tu·tor, nounun·pros·ti·tut·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to prostitute

hustler, debase, pervert, demean, gigolo, deceiver, cheater, seducer, betrayer, cheapen, profane, debauch, devalue, misuse, abuse, degrade, misapply, corrupt, deprave, vitiate

Example sentences from the Web for prostitute

  • Prostituting their unique position in semi-literate, village-tribal societies – intellectuals in the Balkans sold out en masse.

    After the Rain|Sam Vaknin

British Dictionary definitions for prostitute

prostitute
/ (ˈprɒstɪˌtjuːt) /

noun

a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
a man who engages in such activity, esp in homosexual practices
a person who offers his talent or work for unworthy purposes

verb (tr)

to offer (oneself or another) in sexual intercourse for money
to offer (a person, esp oneself, or a person's talent) for unworthy purposes

Derived forms of prostitute

prostitution, nounprostitutor, noun

Word Origin for prostitute

C16: from Latin prōstituere to expose to prostitution, from prō- in public + statuere to cause to stand
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