brothel

noun

broth·​el ˈbrä-thəl  ˈbrȯ- 

 also  -t͟həl

plural brothels

: a business establishment where sex workers are available for hire

For recreation, there were bars, after-hours joints, pool halls, strip joints, brothels, and transient motels.

—Darlene Nall

Elizaveta is happy to become the madam of a high-class brothel.

—Jonathan Fast

In the brutal red-light district of Chicago, at the dawn of the 20th century, most brothels emphasized "efficiency instead of fantasy."

—Ada Calhoun

Synonyms

• bagnio
• bawdy house
• bordello
• cathouse
• disorderly house
• sporting house
• stew
• whorehouse

Examples of brothel in a Sentence

the district is infamous for its brothels and drug dealers

Recent Examples on the Web

Throw in Morton, who has made amiable viciousness into a trademark of this phase of his career, and Catherine Tate as a Dutch brothel madam with a PhD, and Going Dutch has the sort of ensemble already in place for long-term laughs. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025

Being raised in his grandmother’s brothel in Peoria. —Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025

While models walked down the runway in merkins, Emma Stone was wearing one on the big screen in the 2023 Yorgos Lanthimos movie Poor Things, in which her character, Bella Baxter, worked in a Parisian brothel of the type that Brassï photographed. —Erika W. Smith, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2025

This data revealed sensitive details, such as the precise locations where cars were parked, including private locations like people’s homes, government buildings and even questionable spots like brothels. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, worthless fellow, prostitute, from brothen, past participle of brethen to waste away, go to ruin, from Old English brēothan to waste away; akin to Old English brēotan to break — more at brittle

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above