From Latin prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituō, from prō̆ + statuō.

• (British) IPA: /ˈpɹɒstɪtjuːt/, /ˈpɹɒstɪtʃuːt/
• (America) IPA: /ˈpɹɑːstətuːt/

prostitute (prostitutes, present participle prostituting; simple past and past participle prostituted)

1. (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.

2. (transitive, derogatory) To sacrifice (oneself, one's talents etc.) in return for profit or other advantage; to exploit for base purposes.

• (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

• prostitution

• French: prostituer
• German: prostituieren, anschaffen
• Italian: prostituirsi, battere il marciapiede, battere
• Portuguese: prostituir-se
• Russian: заниматься проституция
• Spanish: prostituir

• German: prostituieren
• Portuguese: prostituir
• Spanish: prostituir

• Portuguese: prostituir
• Spanish: prostituir

• Portuguese: prostituir
• Spanish: prostituir

prostitute

1. (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.

2. Taking part in promiscuous sexual activity, licentious; that is a prostitute. [from 16th c.]
3. (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.

prostitute (plural prostitutes)

1. 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, Thesaurus:prostitute

   Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute

   1. 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), […]

2. 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.]

   Synonyms: sellout

• Thesaurus:prostitute

• French: prostitué, prostituée, fille des rues, fille de joie
• German: Prostituierter, Prostituierte
• Italian: prostituta, squillo, battona, puttana, baldracca, sgualdrina, pandemia (literary)
• Portuguese: prostituta, mulher da vida
• Russian: проститу́тка
• Spanish: prostituto, prostituta

• German: Prostituierte, Hure, Nutte, Dirne, Lustdirne, Buhldirne, Gunstgewerblerin (humorous), Liebesdame, Liebesmädchen, Freudenmädchen (euphemistic)