Word
prostitution
Phoneticspros·ti·tu·tion
US/ˌpɹɑstəˈtuʃən/
UK/pɹˌɒstɪtjˈuːʃən/
Definitions
01sexual activity for payment
n. the act of providing sexual services to another person in exchange for money or goods.
n. the practice of engaging in sexual activity with others in exchange for financial compensation or material goods. Uncountable in its general sense.
“The city council debated new laws regarding prostitution in the downtown area.”
“Sociologists often examine the complex intersection of poverty, migration, and legal frameworks that influence the prevalence of prostitution in urban centres.”
Formal
Usage
Often used with the verb 'to engage in'.
Synonyms
02misuse of talent
n. using your skills, art, or beliefs in a way that feels wrong or dishonest just to make money.
n. the unworthy or corrupt use of one's talents, abilities, or principles for personal gain or profit. Often used as a metaphor for moral compromise.
“The artist felt that making commercials was a prostitution of his creative talent.”
“Critics argued that the author's decision to write a sensationalist sequel was a blatant prostitution of her literary reputation for the sake of a quick profit.”
Literary · Formal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence after being convicted for two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution in New York.” “Why would so many intelligent and powerful people repeatedly trumpet their lack of awareness, especially after Epstein’s 2008 plea agreement to underage prostitution charges ?” Etymology
From Late Latin prostitutio. Equivalent to prostitute + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/prostitution