harlot

English

Etymology

From Middle English harlot, from Old French harlot, herlot, arlot (“vagabond; tramp”), of obscure origin. Likely ultimately of (deprecated template usage) [etyl]  origin, either from a derivation of *harjaz (“army; camp; warrior; military leader”) or from a diminutive of *karilaz (“man; fellow”). Compare English carlot.

Noun

harlot (plural harlots)

1. (derogatory, offensive, dated) A female prostitute.
   • (Can we date this quote?), William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors: Act 5, scene 1, 204–205

     This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me, / While she with harlots feasted in my house.

   • 1908, William Blake, To the Accuser Who Is the God of This World:

     Truly, My Satan, thou art but a Dunce, / And dost not know the Garment from the Man. / Every Harlot was a Virgin once, / Nor canst thou ever change Kate into Nan.

   • 1980, Dave Murray, "Charlotte the Harlot", in Iron Maiden, Iron Maiden.

     Charlotte the Harlot show me your legs, / Charlotte the Harlot take me to bed. / Charlotte the Harlot let me see blood, / Charlotte the Harlot let me see love.

2. (derogatory, offensive) A female who is considered promiscuous.

   Synonyms: skeezer, slut, whore

3. (obsolete) A churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth.
   • (Can we date this quote by Geoffrey Chaucer and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?), General Prologue:

     He was a gentil harlot and a kynde;

4. (obsolete) A person given to low conduct; a rogue; a cheat; a rascal.
   • (Can we date this quote by Geoffrey Chaucer and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?), ‘’The fight at the miller’s house’’:

     "Ye, false harlot," quod the millere, "hast? A, false traitor! false clerk!" quod he, Tow shalt be deed, by Goddes dignitee!

Synonyms

• (female prostitute): see Thesaurus:prostitute
• (promiscuous woman): see Thesaurus:promiscuous woman
• (churl): see Thesaurus:rural dweller
• (person given to low conduct): see Thesaurus:villain

Translations

a female prostitute

• Bulgarian: блудница (bg) f (bludnica), проститутка (bg) f (prostitutka)
• Danish: skøge c
• Dutch: hoer (nl) f, prostituee (nl) f
• French: prostituée (fr) f, putain (fr) f, catin (fr) f, pute (fr) f, fille de joie (fr) f
• Galician: lurpia (gl) f, bagaxa f, bordiona f, lumia f, galdrana f, pendanga f, xosca f, candonga f, celenca f, maturranga f, zurrupio m, toallo m, xostra f, coira f, coirón m, baldreu m, beldro m
• German: Dirne (de) f, Hure (de) f, Nutte (de) f
• Greek: καριόλα (el) f (karióla)

  Ancient: πόρνη f (pórnē)

• Irish: striapach (ga) f, drúth f
• Italian: meretrice (it) f, puttana (it) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: scortum n
• Persian: فاحشه (fa) (fâheše), بلایه (balâye)
• Polish: nierządnica (pl) f, jawnogrzesznica (pl) f, lafirynda (pl) f, ladacznica (pl) f
• Portuguese: puta (pt) f, meretriz (pt) f, messalina (pt) f, cortesã (pt) f, prostituta (pt) f, rameira (pt) f, peripatética f, mulher da vida (pt) f, mulher de vida fácil f, mulher pública f.
• Russian: шлю́ха (ru) f (šljúxa)
• Scottish Gaelic: strìopach (gd) f, siùrsach f
• Spanish: puta (es) f, golfa (es) f, ramera (es) f
• Telugu: లంజ (te) (lañja)
• Welsh: putain (cy) f

Verb

harlot (third-person singular simple present harlots, present participle harloting or harlotting, simple past and past participle harloted or harlotted)

1. To play the harlot; to practice lewdness.
   • 1614, John Milton, Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defense against Smectymnuus:

     […] they that spend their youth in loitering, bezzling, and harlotting, their studies in unprofitable questions, and barbarous sophistry

Synonyms

• harlotize; see also Thesaurus:harlotize

Adjective

harlot (comparative more harlot, superlative most harlot)

1. (now uncommon) Wanton; lewd; low; base.
   • 1943, Nick Joaquin, “It was Later than we Thought”, in Philippine Review:

     The intellection in it, kiddo—the intellection.... That most harlot of harlots... talking of me, laughing at me... I'll kill her....

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:obscene

Anagrams

• thoral