# prostitute
## English
### Etymology

From Latin prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituō, from prō̆ (“for, before”) +‎ statuō (“to set up, to erect”).

### Pronunciation

* (UK) IPA: /ˈpɹɒstɪtjuːt/, /ˈpɹɒstɪtʃuːt/
* (US) IPA: /ˈpɹɑːstətuːt/
* Audio (US):(file)

### Verb

prostitute (third-person singular simple present prostitutes, present participle prostituting, simple past and past participle prostituted)
* (transitive, reflexive) To offer (oneself or someone else) for sexual activity in exchange for money. [from 16th c.]
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus xix:29:Do not prostitute thy daughter.
* (transitive, derogatory) To sacrifice (oneself, one's talents etc.) in return for profit or other advantage; to exploit for base purposes.
** 1740, John Dyer, “The Ruins of Rome. A Poem.”, in Poems. [...] Viz. I. Grongar Hill. II. The Ruins of Rome. III. The Fleece, in Four Books, London: Printed by John Hughs, for Messrs. R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1759, →OCLC, pages 42–43:[T]heſe, their rights / In the vile ſtreets they proſtitute to ſale; / Their ancient rights, their dignities, their laws, / Their native glorious freedom.

#### Synonyms

* (to offer oneself for sexual activity for money): sell one's body, turn tricks; see also Thesaurus:prostitute oneself
* (to offer another person for sexual activity for money): pimp; see also Thesaurus:pimp out
* (to use one's talents for money): sell out

#### Derived terms

* intellectual prostitute

#### Related terms

* prostitution

#### Translations
### Adjective

prostitute (comparative more prostitute, superlative most prostitute)
* (obsolete) Debased, corrupt; seeking personal gain by dishonourable means. [16th–19th c.]
** 1791, Thomas Paine, Rights of Man:[H]e speaks a languages that merits not reply, and which can only excite contempt for his prostitute principles, or pity for his ignorance.
* Taking part in promiscuous sexual activity, licentious; (later, chiefly as attributive use of noun) that is a prostitute. [from 16th c.]
** 2008, Niki Adams, Lisa Longstaff, The Guardian, letters, 23 February:They rightly say that attacks against prostitute women are common and that it's only when five are murdered in one place that it starts to provoke debate.
* (obsolete) Exposed, subjected (to something shameful). [16th–18th c.]
** 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Philosophicall rudiments concerning government and society:As a matter of ease, exposed and prostitute to every Mother-wit, and to be attained without any great care or study.

### Noun

prostitute (plural prostitutes)
* Any person (especially a woman) who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood. [from 18th c.]
    Synonyms: sex worker; see also Thesaurus:prostitute
    Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute
** A woman who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood. [from 17th c.]
*** 2012, Kelly Olson, Dress and the Roman Woman: Self-Presentation and Society, page 50:Unfortunately, there is to my knowledge no visual evidence for the dress of the Roman prostitute, but the literary sources present us with a range of prostitute clothing (from rich accoutrements all the way down to nothing), […]
* A person who does, or offers to do, a demeaning or dishonourable activity for money or personal gain; someone who acts in a dishonourable way for personal advantage. [from 17th c.]
    Synonym: sellout
** 2019 May 18, Jack Shepherd, quoting Bobby Gillespie, “Primal Scream frontman calls Madonna a 'total prostitute' for performing at Eurovision in Israel”, in The Independent‎:Madonna would do anything for money, you know, she's a total prostitute. And I've got nothing against prostitutes.

#### Usage notes

* Some speakers consider prostitutes (sex workers) to be female by default, and thus use "male prostitute" to refer to a man doing the same job.

#### Synonyms

* Thesaurus:prostitute

#### Translations

* A user suggests that this English entry be cleaned up, giving the reason: “split by senses (any person / female person; possible move some incorrect translations to e.g. manwhore)”.
* Please see the discussion on Requests for cleanup or the talk page for more information and remove this template after the problem has been dealt with.

## Afrikaans
### Noun

prostitute
* plural of prostituut

## Italian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /pro.stiˈtu.te/
* Rhymes: -ute
* Hyphenation: pro‧sti‧tù‧te

### Noun

prostitute f
* plural of prostituta

## Latin
### Pronunciation

* (Classical Latin) IPA: /proːs.tiˈtuː.te/, [proːs̠t̪ɪˈt̪uːt̪ɛ]
* (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: /pros.tiˈtu.te/, [prost̪iˈt̪uːt̪e]

### Participle

prōstitūte
* vocative masculine singular of prōstitūtus