Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A woman prostitute.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To practise lewdness with harlots or as a harlot.
  • noun A fellow; a varlet; a male servant: often used opprobriously. Compare varlet.
  • noun A woman who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a common woman.
  • Pertaining to or like a harlot; wanton; lewd; low; base.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Wanton; lewd; low; base.
  • noun A churl; a common man; a person, male or female, of low birth.
  • noun obsolete A person given to low conduct; a rogue; a cheat; a rascal.
  • noun A woman who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a common woman; a strumpet.
  • intransitive verb To play the harlot; to practice lewdness.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun derogatory a female prostitute
  • verb To play the harlot; to practice lewdness.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, vagabond, itinerant jester, rascal, lecher, harlot, from Old French arlot, herlot, vagabond, of unknown origin.]

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Examples

  • But as the harlot is mystical (the whole faithless Church), the burning may be mainly mystical, symbolizing utter destruction and removal.

    Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible 1871

  • As iniquity in the harlot is a leaven working in "mystery," and therefore called

    Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible 1871

  • The term harlot was applied indiscriminately to both sexes.] [Footnote 115: Names of spirits, like Robin Goodfellow in England, and

    English Satires Various 1885

  • Enkidu is civilized by a harlot from the temple of the goddess Inanna.

    Archive 2007-08-01 2007

  • Enkidu is civilized by a harlot from the temple of the goddess Inanna.

    Book Review: Gilgamesh the King 2007

  • You will be tempted to think of books as objects, not to be read, but to be possessed for show, and when that happens, you are easy prey to those booksellers who deal in harlot volumes, tricked out in pretty skins (which will not last becasue the leather is not well prepared) and bedizened with gold paint that used to be daubed on steam-heating coils.

    Two Links and a Quote « So Many Books 2005

  • "If it [calling a woman a harlot] is directed to a specific person and especially in the presence of children or somebody's new husband, anybody could expect that that would elicit a violent response and that very likely would be considered fighting words under established constitutional doctrine," said Anderson, a former civil-rights attorney ...

    February 2004 2004

  • "If it [calling a woman a harlot] is directed to a specific person and especially in the presence of children or somebody's new husband, anybody could expect that that would elicit a violent response and that very likely would be considered fighting words under established constitutional doctrine," said Anderson, a former civil-rights attorney ...

    I like spelling. 2004

  • "If it [calling a woman a harlot] is directed to a specific person and especially in the presence of children or somebody's new husband, anybody could expect that that would elicit a violent response and that very likely would be considered fighting words under established constitutional doctrine," said Anderson, a former civil-rights attorney ...

    Archive 2004-02-01 2004

  • “Are you referring to the word harlot?” muttered the shopkeeper, flushing crimson and blinking.

    The Schoolmistress and other stories 2004

Comments

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  • I send a heart to all my dearies

    When your life is so, so dreary

    Dream

    I'm rumored to the straight and narrow

    While the harlots of my perils

    Scream

    August 20, 2007

  • Harlot in SF is fun

    May 4, 2008

  • "'Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh, extol the strength of this wild man. Ask him to give you a harlot, a wanton from the temple of love; return with her, and let her woman's power overpower this man...'" -- The Coming of Enkidu, from The Epic of Gilgamesh

    June 17, 2008

  • See also independent.

    September 10, 2008

  • Somewhere out there, there's a motorcycle-riding prostitute with the family name of Davidson...

    September 10, 2008

  • Asa, you're tearing up the Wordie streets today!

    September 10, 2008

  • A scoundrel; a worthless fellow. As one denoting low rank; a boor. --Dr. Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary and Supplement, 1841.

    June 25, 2011