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Definition of harlot

harlot

/ˈhɑːr.lət/
har · lot
Plural:harlots
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harlot Lexical Profile

harlot Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A woman who engages in promiscuous sexual relations or prostitution (primarily archaic, literary, or derogatory).

Example

"In the nineteenth-century melodrama, the townspeople cruelly ostracized the young woman and branded her a harlot."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for harlot

Word Nuance & Usage

Now primarily archaic, literary, or biblical in register, 'harlot' carries a strongly judgmental and derogatory tone when applied in modern speech.

• Rhymes for harlot

• Nearby Words

hark
harlequin rasbora
harlequin tuskfish
harlot
harm
harmful
harmfully

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 13th century from Old French 'herlot' or 'arlot', which originally referred to a male vagabond, beggar, or rogue before shifting in the 15th century to denote an unchaste woman or prostitute.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Harlot. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/harlot
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