# fornicate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈfɔː.nɪˌkeɪt/ · frequency rank #99,275

## Definitions
1. To engage in fornication.

## Etymology
First attested in 1552; borrowed from Latin fornicātus, perfect active participle of fornicor (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from fornix (“arch, vault; brothel”). It was customary for courtesans of the era to wait for their customers out of the rain in arched passageways.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fornicate