prostitute

prostitute
\ \ [16] To prostitute something is etymologically to ‘set it up in front of everyone’.
\ \ The word comes from the past participle of Latin prōstituere, a compound formed from the prefix prō- ‘before, in public’ and statuereset, place’ (source of English statute). The Latin verb evolved semantically via ‘expose publicly’ and ‘offer for sale’ to ‘make available for sex in return for money’, and the feminine form of its past participle, prōstitūta, foreshadows its English noun descendant prostitute.
\ \ Cf.STATUE, STATUS, STATUTE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • prostitute — pros·ti·tute 1 / präs tə ˌtüt, ˌtyüt/ n: a person who engages in sexual activity indiscriminately esp. for money compare panderer, pimp prostitute 2 vt tut·ed, tut·ing [Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere, from p …   Law dictionary

  • Prostitute — Pros ti*tute, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Prostituted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Prostituting}.] [L. prostitutus, p. p. of prostituere to prostitute; pro before, forth + statuere to put, place. See {Statute}.] 1. To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use; to give up… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • prostitute — ► NOUN ▪ a person, typically a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment. ► VERB (often prostitute oneself) 1) offer (someone) as a prostitute. 2) put to an unworthy or corrupt use for the sake of gain. DERIVATIVES prostitution noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Prostitute — Pros ti*tute, a. [L. prostitutus, p. p.] Openly given up to lewdness; devoted to base or infamous purposes. [1913 Webster] Made bold by want, and prostitute for bread. Prior [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Prostitute — Pros ti*tute, n. [L. prostituta.] 1. A woman giver to indiscriminate lewdness; a strumpet; a harlot. [1913 Webster] 2. A base hireling; a mercenary; one who offers himself to infamous employments for hire. [1913 Webster] No hireling she, no… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • prostitutė — prostitùtė dkt. Skur̃das pri̇̀vertė tàpti prostitutè …   Bendrinės lietuvių kalbos žodyno antraštynas

  • prostitute — [n] person who sells own abilities, talent, or name for inferior purpose betrayer, cheater, deceiver, gigolo, hustler, seducer; concept 412 prostitute [v] to put one’s talent to an unworthy use abuse, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade,… …   New thesaurus

  • prostitute — [präs′tə to͞ot΄, präs′tətyo͞ot΄] vt. prostituted, prostituting [< L prostitutus, pp. of prostituere < pro , before + statuere, to cause to stand, akin to stare, STAND] 1. to sell the services of (oneself or another) for purposes of sexual… …   English World dictionary

  • Prostitute (EP) — Infobox Album Name = Prostitute Type = ep Artist = Neuroticfish Released = June 4,2002 Recorded = Genre = Synthpop Length = 16:24 Label = Strange Ways Producer = Neuroticfish Reviews = Last album = Sushi 2001 This album = Prostitute 2002 Next… …   Wikipedia

  • prostitute — {{11}}prostitute (n.) harlot, woman who offers her body indiscriminately (usually for money), 1610s, from L. prostituta prostitute, fem. of prostitutus, pp. of prostituere (see PROSTITUTE (Cf. prostitute) (v.)). {{12}}prostitute (v.) 1520s, to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • prostitute — [[t]prɒ̱stɪtjuːt, AM tuːt[/t]] prostitutes, prostituting, prostituted 1) N COUNT A prostitute is a person, usually a woman, who has sex with men in exchange for money. He admitted last week he paid for sex with a prostitute. ...male prostitutes.… …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”