courtesan
noun
cour·te·san
ˈkȯr-tə-zən 
-ˌzan,
also ˈkər-,
-ˌzän;
especially British ˌkȯ-tə-ˈzan
plural courtesans
: a female sex worker with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele
Synonyms
Examples of courtesan in a Sentence
the protagonist of the novel is a composite of several real-life courtesans who plied their trade among the decadent aristocracy
Recent Examples on the Web
The title character was a French commoner turned courtesan (a polite term for high-class prostitute) who lived from 1743 to 1793.
—
Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
Since 1766, its intimate salons have served as an elegant house of pleasure, where courtesans entertained their wealthy aristocratic patrons.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2024
The courtesans were trained in music, etiquette and dance and the women of the area were a social symbol for the elite, with their presence at ceremonies a statement of class and wealth akin to Japan's geishas.
—Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
And Yuka Kouri, whose character is a courtesan, sparkled in a long-sleeved gown that unzipped on one side to reveal a flash of torso.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtesan 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
Since 1766, its intimate salons have served as an elegant house of pleasure, where courtesans entertained their wealthy aristocratic patrons.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2024
The courtesans were trained in music, etiquette and dance and the women of the area were a social symbol for the elite, with their presence at ceremonies a statement of class and wealth akin to Japan's geishas.
—Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
And Yuka Kouri, whose character is a courtesan, sparkled in a long-sleeved gown that unzipped on one side to reveal a flash of torso.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtesan
Dictionary Entries Near courtesan
Cite this Entry
“Courtesan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtesan. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share