A woman, typically an older woman, who runs or manages a brothel or arranges sexual encounters for profit.
From Middle English 'baude,' possibly from Old French 'baud' meaning 'dissolute' or 'licentious,' though the exact origin is debated. The term has been used since at least the 14th century in English literature.
Bawd appears constantly in Shakespearean and Elizabethan drama because it was a real, recognizable social role in cities—it's not slang but an actual job title, making it one of literature's most honest historical terms about how societies were actually organized.
Historically gendered feminine: a bawd was typically a woman who managed or ran a brothel. Lexicalized in early modern English as a female role, often used pejoratively. Male equivalents were less stigmatized in language.
Use 'brothel manager' or 'procurer' for neutral reference when describing historical or contemporary contexts. Avoid 'bawd' when the gender of the person is unknown or irrelevant.
["brothel manager","procurer","madam"]
Women in these historical roles exercised economic control and agency, though language often rendered them exploitative figures rather than economic actors. Their labor and business acumen were central to their communities.
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