as in prostitute
a woman who engages in sexual activities for money
the protagonist of the novel is a composite of several real-life courtesans who plied their trade among the decadent aristocracy
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Recent Examples of courtesan
Marquise de Merteuil, betrayed by Valmont, embarks on a daring journey to become Paris’ leading courtesan.
—
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025
Annoyed with her nephew’s behavior, the Vicomte’s aunt, Madame de Rosemonde (Diane Kruger), mentors Isabelle and boldly transforms her into one of Paris’ leading courtesans.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
The victims are local teenagers, seized in roundups, while the courtesans, whose ghastly storytelling each night inspires the action, are like camp followers, the guards collaborators.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Later, Cellini is invited to a dinner and shows up with a young man dressed as a woman; the courtesan, his lover at the time, is also at the dinner, which leads to an enormously violent scene.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for courtesan
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025
Annoyed with her nephew’s behavior, the Vicomte’s aunt, Madame de Rosemonde (Diane Kruger), mentors Isabelle and boldly transforms her into one of Paris’ leading courtesans.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025
The victims are local teenagers, seized in roundups, while the courtesans, whose ghastly storytelling each night inspires the action, are like camp followers, the guards collaborators.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Later, Cellini is invited to a dinner and shows up with a young man dressed as a woman; the courtesan, his lover at the time, is also at the dinner, which leads to an enormously violent scene.
—Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for courtesan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courtesan
Noun
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Legend says both Watson and Bemis were prostitutes, for instance.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
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Tourists used to come to King’s Cross for heroin, prostitutes and the train to Scotland.—
Dominic Green,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The trope of the hooker-in-the-dumpster is as old as TV itself.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2026
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Hayley — who turns out to be a hooker who does secretarial admin on the side and not an executive assistant who occasionally threesomes — is extorting him for $750,000.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courtesan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtesan. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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