noun

harlot

HAH-luht

noun

An old-fashioned, disapproving term for a prostitute or a woman considered sexually promiscuous.

"The play cast her as a harlot who seduces the young prince."

How to Use Harlot

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn old, judgmental word for a prostitute or promiscuous woman.

When to use it

Archaic and derogatory; rarely used in modern speech outside historical or literary contexts.

more harlot comparative, harloted past tense, harlotted past tense, harlots plural, harlots singular, most harlot superlative

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The play cast her as a _____ who seduces the young prince.

From Old French harlot, originally meaning a vagabond or low-born person of either sex, before narrowing in English to its current meaning.