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Webster 1913 Edition


Prostitution

Prosˊti-tu′tion

,
Noun.
[L.
prostitutio
: cf. F.
prostitution
.]
1.
The act or practice of prostituting or offering the body to an indiscriminate intercourse with men; common lewdness of a woman.
2.
The act of setting one’s self to sale, or of devoting to infamous purposes what is in one's power;
as, the
prostitution
of abilities; the
prostitution
of the press.
“Mental prostitution.”
Byron.

Webster 1828 Edition


Prostitution

PROSTITU'TION

,
Noun.
[L. prostituo.]
1.
The act or practice of offering the body to an indiscriminate intercourse with men; common lewdness of a female.
2.
The act of setting one's self to sale, or offering one's self to infamous employments; as the prostitution of talents or abilities.

Definition 2024


Prostitution

Prostitution

See also: prostitution

German

Noun

Prostitution f (genitive Prostitution, no plural)

  1. prostitution

Synonyms

prostitution

prostitution

See also: Prostitution

English

Noun

prostitution (usually uncountable, plural prostitutions)

  1. Engaging in sexual activity with another person in exchange for compensation, such as money or other valuable goods.
    • 2013 July 29, David Ingram (reporting for Reuters), Howard Goller & Bill Trott (editing for Reuters), “FBI arrests 150 in three days in sex-trafficking sweep”, in news.yahoo.com, retrieved 2013-07-29:
      The FBI typically does not investigate adult prostitution, leaving it as a state and local matter, but in recent years it has made child prostitution a priority in a program the FBI calls Operation Cross Country. The program includes highway billboards asking people to call the FBI with tips.
    Her addiction brought her to the point that prostitution was the only means she had to survive.
  2. (by extension) Debasement for unworthy profit or motives.
    The television advertising job was a prostitution of the talents of one of the great writers of the century.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations


French

Pronunciation

Noun

prostitution f (plural prostitutions)

  1. prostitution

Related terms