prostitute
英 ['prɒstɪtjuːt]
美['prɑstətut]
- vt. 使沦为妓女
- adj. 卖淫的；堕落的
- n. 妓女
词态变化
复数: prostitutes;第三人称单数: prostitutes;过去式: prostituted;过去分词: prostituted;现在分词: prostituting;
中文词源
prostitute 卖淫，妓女，男妓
来自拉丁语prostituere,卖淫，来自pro-,向前，-stit,站立，词源同stand,institute.字面意思即站在前面，引申词义买卖，供挑选等。
英文词源
- prostitute
- prostitute: [16] To prostitute something is etymologically to ‘set it up in front of everyone’. The word comes from the past participle of Latin prōstituere, a compound formed from the prefix prō- ‘before, in public’ and statuere ‘set, place’ (source of English statute). The Latin verb evolved semantically via ‘expose publicly’ and ‘offer for sale’ to ‘make available for sex in return for money’, and the feminine form of its past participle, prōstitūta, foreshadows its English noun descendant prostitute.
=> statue, status, statute - prostitute (v.)
- 1520s, "to offer to indiscriminate sexual intercourse (usually in exchange for money)," from Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere "to expose to prostitution, expose publicly," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + statuere "cause to stand, establish," from PIE root *sta- "to stand," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing" (see stet). Related: Prostituted; prostituting.
The notion of "sex for hire" is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one "exposed to lust" or sex "indiscriminately offered." However, this is now almost the official European term for the institution: German prostituierte, Russian prostitutka, etc. Figurative sense (of abilities, etc.) is from 1570s. Of men, in reference to homosexual acts, from 1886 (in form prostitution); phrase male prostitute attested by 1948. - prostitute (n.)
- "harlot, woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money)," 1610s, from Latin prostituta "prostitute," fem. of prostitutus, past participle of prostituere (see prostitute (v.)).
双语例句
- 1. Higher education is being forced to prostitute itself to market forces.
- 高等教育被迫向市场需求妥协。
来自柯林斯例句
- 2. She became a prostitute in order to pay for her cocaine habit.
- 她以娼养吸。
来自柯林斯例句
- 3. He admitted last week he paid for sex with a prostitute.
- 他承认上个星期嫖娼了。
来自柯林斯例句
- 4. She was arrested and charged with being a common prostitute.
- 她被逮捕并受到以卖淫为业的指控.
来自《简明英汉词典》
- 5. A prostitute was soliciting on the street.
- 一名妓女正在街上拉客.
来自《简明英汉词典》