prostitute
pros·ti·tute/ˈpɹɒstɪˌtjuːt/adjective, noun, verb
prostitute is spelled P-R-O-S-T-I-T-U-T-E: 10 letters and 3 syllables (pros·ti·tute). It appears 3.8 times per million words in written English, the 13,321st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, prostitute means “Taking part in promiscuous sexual activity, licentious; (later, chiefly as attributive use of noun) that is a prostitute” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in prostitute?
| Letters | 10: P-R-O-S-T-I-T-U-T-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: pros·ti·tute |
| In writing | 3.8 times per million words; the 13,321st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is prostitute?
Prostitute appears 3.8 times per million words in written English, the 13,321st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce prostitute?
- UK /ˈpɹɒstɪˌtjuːt/
- UK [ˈpɹɒstɪtʰjuːt]
- /ˈpɹɒstɪˌt͡ʃuːt/
Prostitute has 3 syllables, split pros·ti·tute in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-prostitute.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of prostitute
- more prostitute comparative
- most prostitute superlative
- prostitutes plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- prostituting participle, present
- prostituted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does prostitute mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
obsoleteDebased, corrupt; seeking personal gain by dishonourable means.
- 2
Taking part in promiscuous sexual activity, licentious; (later, chiefly as attributive use of noun) that is a prostitute.
- 3
obsoleteExposed, subjected (to something shameful).
noun
- 1
Any person (especially a woman) who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood.
- 2
A woman who has sexual intercourse or engages in other sexual activity for payment, especially as a means of livelihood.
- 3
A person who does, or offers to do, a demeaning or dishonourable activity for money or personal gain; someone who acts in a dishonourable way for personal advantage.
verb
- 1
To offer (oneself or someone else) for sexual activity in exchange for money.
- 2
derogatoryTo sacrifice (oneself, one's talents etc.) in return for profit or other advantage; to exploit for base purposes.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Prostitute in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | prostitué, prostituée, fille des rues, fille de joie , se prostituer |
| German | Prostituierter, Prostituierte , sich prostituieren , Hure, Nutte, Dirne |
| Portuguese | prostituta, mulher da vida , prostituir-se , prostituir |
| Spanish | prostituto , prostituta, camona, gamberra, jalona, yira |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does prostitute come from?
From Latin prōstitūtus, past participle of prōstituō, from prō̆ (“for, before”) + statuō (“to set up, to erect”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).