Definition
Plural of harlot; people (historically and traditionally women) who work as prostitutes or engage in sexual immorality.
Etymology
Plural of harlot, from Middle English harlot, via Old French harlote. The singular form's origin is uncertain but possibly Germanic in source.
Kelly Says
Shakespeare uses 'harlot' more as an insult about moral character than specifically about sex work, showing how the word's meaning shifted over centuries from occupational term to general moral condemnation applied unevenly across genders.
Translations
ARالعربية
زنان فاحشات
zinan fa-hi-shaat
CACatalà
prostituïdes
pro-sti-ty-u-des
CSČeština
prostitutky
pro-sti-tyt-ky
DADansk
prostituerede
pro-sti-ty-u-rede
ELΕλληνικά
ασέλγεις
as-el-yees
ESEspañol
mujeres de la noche
moo-heres de la no-che
FAفارسی
prostitutes
pro-sti-tyu-tes
FISuomi
prostituoitu
pro-sti-tyo-i-tu
FRFrançais
prostituées
pro-sti-ty-ay
HIहिन्दी
वेश्याएँ
vesh-ya-en
HUMagyar
prostituáltak
pro-sti-tyu-al-tak
IDBahasa Indonesia
prostitusi
pro-sti-twee
IGIG
nwanyi akwụ
n-wayi ak-wụ
ITItaliano
prostitute
pro-sti-tyut
MSBahasa Melayu
pekerja seks
pe-kerja seks
NLNederlands
hoeren
ho-ren
NONorsk
prostituerte
pro-sti-tyu-rte
PTPortuguês
prostitutas
pro-sti-ty-tas
RORomână
prostituate
pro-sti-ty-u-ate
RUРусский
проститутки
pro-sti-tyt-ki
SVSvenska
prostituerade
pro-sti-ty-u-rade
SWKiswahili
wanawake wa ngono
wa-na-ka-ke wa ngono
TEతెలుగు
వ్యవహారం
vyavahaaram
THไทย
หญิงขายบริการ
ying khai-ba-ri-kan
TLTL
mga prostityut
mga pro-sti-tyut
TRTürkçe
fahişeler
fah-i-she-ler
UKУкраїнська
проститутки
pro-sti-tyt-ki
VITiếng Việt
nữ mại dâm
nu mai-dam
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Plural of harlot, which historically applied gender-selectively to female sex workers. The term carried moral condemnation that lacked equivalence in male-gendered terms.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'sex workers' or 'people engaged in sex work.' If discussing historical usage, explicitly name the gendered stigma the term carried.
Inclusive Alternatives
["sex workers","people in sex work","prostitutes (historical contexts)"]
Empowerment Note
Contemporary sex worker movements have reclaimed agency over terminology; language should reflect choice and economic circumstance rather than moral judgment.