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

But Lawrence reminds her that the brothel is in full lockdown following her and Moira’s murder of a guardian. —Matt Cabral, EW.com, 29 Apr. 2025

Elevated, or maybe lowered: lowered to the tavern, the dungeon, the brothel. —Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025

As such, Wiley has been more central in the season — particularly in this week’s episode, which finds an undercover Moira collecting intel at Jezebel’s, the Gilead brothel where she once was held prisoner. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 22 Apr. 2025

The lovers are reunited, and Lakan spends an exorbitant amount of money to redeem Fengxian from the brothel. —Kayti Burt, Time, 2 Apr. 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