brothel

noun broth·el \ ˈbrä-thəl , ˈbrȯ- also -t͟həl \

|Updated on: 18 Jul 2018

Examples: brothel in a Sentence

Definition of brothel

: bordello

See brothel defined for English-language learners

Examples of brothel in a Sentence

the district is infamous for its brothels and drug dealers

Recent Examples of brothel from the Web

From the highway, the only marker is a run-down building that reportedly serves as a brothel, and a thin, dusty footpath leading into the hills.

— matías costa, Smithsonian, "The Battle Over the Memory of the Spanish Civil War," 28 June 2018
Hof owns four brothels in Lyon County, and a question on the ballot asks if those types of businesses should be shut down there.

— monique judge, The Root, "From Pimping to Politics: Nevada Brothel Owner Wins GOP Primary," 15 June 2018
The question will be on the ballot in Lyon County, where Hof owns four brothels.

— NBC News, "Nevada pimp Dennis Hof, who styles himself after Trump, wins GOP primary, ousts incumbent," 13 June 2018
The question will be on the ballot in Lyon County, where Hof owns four brothels.

— michelle l. price, chicagotribune.com, "Nevada pimp Dennis Hof wins GOP primary, rejoices with Hollywood madam," 13 June 2018
Since then a series of bizarre posts—allegedly, though almost certainly not, from people who found his password written in the bathroom of a massage parlor/brothel—has dominated his feed.

— samuel hine, GQ, "The Elusive Lil Uzi Vert Talks Jeff Koons and How He Found His Voice in Fashion," 14 May 2018
The property was owned by the same family for 70 years, but before the Browns moved in after World War II, the land sheltered a brothel, bootlegging distillery and a hidden pathway to the Willamette River.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "Portland's secret marble 'mausoleum' mansion sells for $500,000 (photos)," 19 Apr. 2018
As Khloé Kardashian tends to estranged husband Lamar Odom, who was found unresponsive in a Las Vegas brothel earlier this week, her pregnant sister Kim has canceled her baby shower, which was planned for this weekend.

— chelsea peng, Marie Claire, "Kim Kardashian Cancels Her Baby Shower at the Last Minute to Support Khloé," 15 Oct. 2015
His famous brothel, the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, was the subject of the HBO series Cathouse for two seasons.

— monique judge, The Root, "From Pimping to Politics: Nevada Brothel Owner Wins GOP Primary," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brothel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of brothel

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

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First Known Use: 1566

in the meaning defined above

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