A man who is paid for romantic or sexual companionship, especially by older or wealthy women.
From French 'gigolo,' possibly related to the earlier French dancer term 'gigoler.' The word entered English in the early 1900s during the Jazz Age.
The French word 'gigolo' may come from a dance move or word for a light-footed person, which makes sense—the original connotation was someone who was a dancing partner and social companion before it took on its more transactional modern meaning.
Term applied almost exclusively to men compensated for companionship/intimacy. Female equivalent ('courtesan,' 'escort') carries different moral/legal weight, reflecting gendered assumptions about transactional sexuality and respectability.
Neutral terms like 'escort' or 'companion for hire' avoid gendered moral judgment. Use consistently regardless of gender.
["escort","companion for hire","sex worker"]
Sex workers of all genders deserve agency and dignity; language should not encode shame or moral judgment that varies by gender.
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