English Explanatory Dictionary

courtesan

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A female prostitute, especially one with high-status or wealthy clients.
  2. The mistress of a royal or noble.
  3. A woman of a royal or noble court.
  4. A fairy chess piece that can move to any adjacent square, that, when captured, the capturing piece is also eliminated.

Pronunciation

/kɔːtɪˈzæn/ /ˈkɔːtɪzæn/ /ˈkɔːtɪzən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-courtesan.wav /kɔɹtɪˈzæn/ /ˈkɔɹtɪzæn/ /ˈkɔɹtɪzən/ /ˈkoɹtɪzən/ /ˈkoɹtɪzæn/

Word forms

courtesan courtesans courtezan

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French courtisane, from Italian cortigiana, feminine of cortigiano (“courtier”), from corte (“court”), itself from Latin cohors.

Synonyms

abandons alley cat almah bangtail Bankside lady bargirl bat beotch blouze blowen blowsabella brass nail brasser brass broad business girl calico queen callet cat chippy chromo coaster cockatrice cocotte comfort girl comfort woman commoner Covent Garden nun creature of the night croshabell daughter of joy dollymop doxy drab Dutch widow escort fille de joie flap floozie fornicatrix frail sister Fulham virgin gamester gay lady geebag gillian gill girl rented overnight good-time girl GRO hackney harlot Haymarket ware hireling 'ho hoer hoe hook hooker hustler

Derived words

courtesanship

Translations

Finnish: kurtisaani Polish: kurtyzana Russian: куртиза́нка Swedish: kurtisan
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