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

The production, featuring music and lyrics by Sheik, will open at a new Chelsea neighborhood venue called The Night Egg, named after a French brothel in the Japanese novel. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 May 2026

Pirates and brothels and casinos once set up camp in Fernandina Beach, the island's harbor town, and even Prohibition didn't shut down the town saloon. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026

The graffiti also alleged that one of the seven houses that was sprayed with paint was a brothel. —Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026

Parker recalled one story of Pearlman taking him and O-Town to a brothel in Germany. —Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026

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