prostitute

¹pros·ti·tute

transitive verb \ˈpräs-tə-ˌtüt, -ˌtyüt\

pros·ti·tut·edpros·ti·tut·ing

Definition of PROSTITUTE

1

: to offer indiscriminately for sexual intercourse especially for money

2

: to devote to corrupt or unworthy purposes : debase <prostitute one's talents>

— pros·ti·tu·tor \-ˌtü-tər, -ˌtyü-\ noun

Examples of PROSTITUTE

1. a writer who prostituted his talents by writing commercials
2. <a serious writer prostituting himself by writing pulp novels for money>

Origin of PROSTITUTE

Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere, from pro- before + statuere to station — more at pro-, statute

First Known Use: 1530

Related to PROSTITUTE

Synonyms

abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, debase, subvert, vitiate, warp

Antonyms

elevate, ennoble, uplift

Related Words

befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgrade

Near Antonyms

dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect

Rhymes with PROSTITUTE

absolute, Aleut, arrowroot, Asyût, attribute, autoroute, bandicoot, bathing suit, birthday suit, bitterroot, bodysuit, boilersuit, bumbershoot, business suit, comminute, constitute, contribute, convolute, destitute, disrepute, dissolute, execute, follow suit, gingerroot, hot pursuit, institute, involute, kiwifruit, leisure suit, malamute, overshoot, parachute, passion fruit, persecute, point-and-shoot, prosecute, qiviut, resolute, restitute, revolute, run-and-shoot, rural route, subacute, substitute, troubleshoot, undershoot

²prostitute

adjective

Definition of PROSTITUTE

: devoted to corrupt purposes : prostituted

First Known Use of PROSTITUTE

1563

³prostitute

noun

Definition of PROSTITUTE

1

a : a woman who engages in promiscuous sexual intercourse especially for money : whore

b : a male who engages in sexual and especially homosexual practices for money

2

: a person (as a writer or painter) who deliberately debases his or her talents (as for money)

Examples of PROSTITUTE

1. <the town was horrified to discover that she had once been a prostitute>

First Known Use of PROSTITUTE

1613

Related to PROSTITUTE

Synonyms

bawd, call girl, cocotte, courtesan, drab, harlot, hooker, hustler, sex worker, streetwalker, strumpet, tart, whore, woman of the street

Related Words

madam, madame; white slave; bimbo [slang], chippie (also chippy), doxy (also doxie), floozy (or floozie), tramp; bitch, hussy, jade, minx; coquette, flirt, libertine, siren, tempter, temptress, vamp, wench