noun
Common
prostitution
pros-tih-CHOOSHN
Prostitution (noun) means the practice of engaging in sex in exchange for money or other payment.
noun
1
The practice of engaging in sex in exchange for money or other payment.
"Prostitution is legal in some countries and banned in others."
"The city cracked down on street prostitution near the station."
"The charity offers practical support to people who want to leave prostitution and rebuild their lives."
2
The act of debasing oneself or one's talents for profit.
"He called the ad campaign a prostitution of the artist's original vision."
"Critics saw the novelist's decision to write advertising slogans as a prostitution of her real talent."
"Is it not a prostitution of your gift to spend it on cheap, empty work?"
How to use prostitution
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe act or business of selling sex for money, or more loosely, selling out something valuable for profit.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like prostitution.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- prostitutions
Etymology
From Late Latin prostitutio, built from prostitute plus the noun-forming suffix -ion.
Synonyms
View more →
sex work
commercial sex
whoredom
harlotry
oldest occupation
oldest profession
world's oldest profession
Related words
Rhymes for prostitution
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for prostitution →
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of prostitution?
"prostitution" (noun) means the practice of engaging in sex in exchange for money or other payment.
What is another word for prostitution?
Other words for "prostitution" include sex work, commercial sex, whoredom, harlotry, oldest occupation, oldest profession.
What are the different meanings of prostitution?
"prostitution" has 2 main meanings: 1. The practice of engaging in sex in exchange for money or other payment; 2. The act of debasing oneself or one's talents for profit.
How do you use prostitution in a sentence?
Example: "Prostitution is legal in some countries and banned in others."
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include prostitution: