brothel

noun

broth·​el ˈbrä-thəl  ˈbrȯ- 

 also  -t͟həl

plural brothels

: a business establishment where sex workers are available for hire

For recreation, there were bars, after-hours joints, pool halls, strip joints, brothels, and transient motels.

—Darlene Nall

Elizaveta is happy to become the madam of a high-class brothel.

—Jonathan Fast

In the brutal red-light district of Chicago, at the dawn of the 20th century, most brothels emphasized "efficiency instead of fantasy."

—Ada Calhoun

Synonyms

• bordello
• stew
• crib
• cathouse

Examples of brothel in a Sentence

the district is infamous for its brothels and drug dealers

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2007, Undersheriff Carlos Bolanos and Sheriff Greg Munks were caught in a Las Vegas brothel. —Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025

Sure, Julia slept with Lord Lovat to protect her unborn child, but what is Henry’s excuse for standing in a brothel with a naked woman? —Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025

This is a public place, not a brothel. —Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

Ted slumped on to the sofa, his long legs bent, his feet in brothel creepers, his fingers drumming on the bones of his knees. —Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, worthless fellow, prostitute, from brothen, past participle of brethen to waste away, go to ruin, from Old English brēothan to waste away; akin to Old English brēotan to break — more at brittle

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above