prostitute Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
    fancy woman; woman of the street; working girl; bawd; sporting lady; cocotte; lady of pleasure; harlot; cyprian; whore; tart.
  2. verb sell one's body; exchange sex for money

WordNet

Pros"ti*tute transitive verb
Etymology
L. prostitutus, p. p. of prostituere to prostitute; pro before, forth + statuere to put, place. See Statute.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Prostituted ; present participle & verbal noun Prostituting
Definitions
  1. To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use; to give up to lewdness for hire. "Do not prostitute thy daughter." Lev. xix. 29.
  2. To devote to base or unworthy purposes; to give up to low or indiscriminate use; as, to prostitute talents; to prostitute official powers. Milton.
Pros"ti*tute adjective
Etymology
L. prostitutus, p. p.
Definitions
  1. Openly given up to lewdness; devoted to base or infamous purposes.
    Made bold by want, and prostitute for bread. Prior
Pros"ti*tute noun
Etymology
L. prostituta.
Definitions
  1. A woman giver to indiscriminate lewdness; a strumpet; a harlot.
  2. A base hireling; a mercenary; one who offers himself to infamous employments for hire.
    No hireling she, no prostitute to praise. Pope.

Webster 1913