as in prostitutes
a woman who engages in sexual activities for money
the protagonist of the novel is a composite of several real-life courtesans who plied their trade among the decadent aristocracy
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Recent Examples of courtesans
The victims are local teenagers, seized in roundups, while the courtesans, whose ghastly storytelling each night inspires the action, are like camp followers, the guards collaborators.
—
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courtesans
prostitutes
Noun
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Records later released from that case show the prosecutor presented the girls molested by Epstein as prostitutes and liars when speaking to the grand jury.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
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Stretching from the open spaces east of Aurora to the foothills of Golden, Colfax has hosted presidents and addicts, celebrities and prostitutes — occasionally in the same venues — at its hotels, bars, restaurants, clubs, theaters, retail shops and residences, Barber said.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Courtesans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtesans. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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