courtesan

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cour=te=san

CIDE DICTIONARY

courtesan, n. [F. courtisane, fr. courtisan courtier, It. cortigiano; or directly fr. It. cortigiana, or Sp. cortesana. See Court.].

 A woman who prostitutes herself for hire; a prostitute; a harlot.  [1913 Webster]
"Lasciviously decked like a courtesan."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

courtesan, n. literary 1 a prostitute, esp. one with wealthy or upper-class clients.
2 the mistress of a wealthy man.

Etymology

F courtisane f. It. cortigiana, fem. of cortigiano courtier f. corte COURT

THESAURUS

courtesan

Aspasia, Delilah, Jezebel, Messalina, Phryne, Thais, adventuress, demimondaine, demimonde, demirep, fancy woman, femme fatale, harem girl, hetaera, houri, kept woman, odalisque, paphian, seductress, temptress, vamp, vampire, whore

ROGET THESAURUS

courtesan

Libertine

N libertine, voluptuary, rake, debauchee, loose fish, rip, rakehell, fast man, intrigant, gallant, seducer, fornicator, lecher, satyr, goat, whoremonger, paillard, adulterer, gay deceiver, Lothario, Don Juan, Bluebeard, chartered libertine, adulteress, advoutress, courtesan, prostitute, strumpet, harlot, whore, punk, fille de joie, woman, woman of the town, streetwalker, Cyprian, miss, piece, frail sisterhood, demirep, wench, trollop, trull, baggage, hussy, drab, bitch, jade, skit, rig, quean, mopsy, slut, minx, harridan, unfortunate, unfortunate female, unfortunate woman, woman of easy virtue, wanton, fornicatress, Jezebel, Messalina, Delilah, Thais, Phryne, Aspasia, Lais, lorette, cocotte, petite dame, grisette, demimonde, chippy, sapphist, spiritual wife, white slave, concubine, mistress, doxy, chere amie, bona roba, pimp, procurer, pander, pandar, bawd, conciliatrix, procuress, mackerel, wittol.