A brothel or house of prostitution; a slang term for an illegal establishment offering sexual services.
Compound of 'cat' (possibly from 'catamite,' related to sexual deviance, or simply from the association of cats with night activity) and 'house.' The term emerged in 19th-century American slang.
This slang reveals how language often hides uncomfortable truths—using animal or household words ('cathouse,' 'house of ill repute') allowed people to discuss illegal activities in polite conversation.
Slang for brothel, euphemistically coded. The term trivializes sex work through animal metaphor ('cat house') while obscuring labor and agency. Historically used to shame women in sex work while business operators remained unnamed.
Use 'sex work venue' or 'brothel' if historical/sociological accuracy needed. Avoid slang in analytic contexts. Recognize term centers judgment over worker experiences.
["brothel","sex work venue"]
Sex workers and their descendants have centered their own labor narratives—reclaiming language from shame. Contemporary sex worker rights discourse prioritizes self-definition over euphemism.
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