prostitute
Sells sexual services
A prostitute is a person who engages in sexual acts for payment.
The word applies to any sex, though it most commonly describes women.
To prostitute oneself is to sell sexual services, or figuratively, to debase one's talents for money: He prostituted his art for commercial success.
The noun and verb carry moral judgment that more neutral terms like sex worker avoid.
whore
Sex worker
- hookerSex worker, informally
- harlotPromiscuous woman for pay
- streetwalkerOne who solicits outdoors
call girl · escort · trollop · strumpet · hussy · tramp · floozy · jezebel · scarlet woman · lady of the night
debase
Lower in quality
dishonor · defile · sully · tarnish · demean · compromise · sell out · betray · devalue · lower
- Tudor Roguesrogue, vagabond, cutpurse, pickpocket, ruffler
- camp followerssutler, laundress, washerwoman, camp cook, concubine
- hustlershustler, hustlers, street hustler, con artist, grifter
- ancient occupationssoldier, merchant, farmer, shepherd, carpenter
- streetsstreet, road, sidewalk, sidewalks, pavement
- night workersnight owls, night watchman, night auditor, night crew, security guards
- forced prostitutionCoerced commercial sexual exploitation
- male prostituteMan paid for sex
- prostitution ringOrganized criminal sex trade
- street prostitutionOutdoor commercial sex trade
- house of prostitutionCommercial sex venue
- child prostitutionSexual exploitation of minors