noun Uncommon

brothel

BRO-thuhl

Brothel (noun) means a house where people pay for sex with prostitutes. Example: “The police raided an illegal brothel in the city centre.”

noun

A house where people pay for sex with prostitutes.

"The police raided an illegal brothel in the city centre."

How to use brothel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA building where sex is sold as a business.

When to use it

A blunt, clinical term — mostly used in news, legal, or historical contexts rather than casual conversation.

Word forms

brothels plural, brothels plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The police raided an illegal _____ in the city centre.

Etymology

Originally "brothel-house", combining an old word for a disreputable person with "house" — the sense narrowed over time to mean specifically a house of prostitution.

Synonyms

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bagnio bawdy house bawdyhouse brothel house cat house cat-house common house escort agency leaping-house hookshop prostibule riding academy

Related words

bagnio outhouse bordello whorehouse bathhouse cathouse

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of brothel?

"brothel" (noun) means a house where people pay for sex with prostitutes.

What is another word for brothel?

Other words for "brothel" include bagnio, bawdy house, bawdyhouse, brothel house, cat house, cat-house.

How do you use brothel in a sentence?

Example: "The police raided an illegal brothel in the city centre."

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