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 of brothel

• 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

Of the girls in that cohort, many were sold to brothels in Asia; others were shipped to pimps in Europe or married off to pedophiles abroad. —Natalia Paradies, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

Ibsen’s play takes place in George and Hedda’s front room over a two-day period, and the only nighttime debauchery happens offstage at one of Judge Brack’s bachelor parties, which spirals out of control when Lovborg gets into a fight at a brothel and loses his manuscript on the walk back to town. —Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025

But Siepierski also concluded that the mansion probably was a brothel, based on what the neighbors said and the volume of racy lingerie, high heels, leather, whips and correspondence. —Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025

Parrilla’s character is described as the ruthless proprietor of a shadowy electronic brothel whose obsession sets her on a relentless pursuit. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Sep. 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