red-light district

noun

1. an area or district in a city in which many houses of prostitution are located.

Word History and Origins

Origin of red-light district¹

First recorded in 1890–95; allegedly so called because brothels displayed red lights

Example Sentences

Under their rule, the impoverished backwater was transformed into a flashy hub of casinos and red-light districts.

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The family is among a handful of mafias that rose to power in the 2000s and transformed the impoverished backwater town of Laukkaing into a lucrative hub of casinos and red-light districts.

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When Soho was notorious as a red-light district, it's said the Soho Parish CofE Primary School educated the children of sex workers for free.

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In the historic red-light district where she once lived and worked, the teenage sex worker’s digital presence reminds passers-by that her case is yet to be solved.

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The city has also long tried to control the crowds in its red-light district, where rowdy groups of tourists often cause disruptions to local residents.

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

• bordello