1520s, "to offer to indiscriminate sexual intercourse" (usually in exchange for money), from Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere, etymologically "place before or in front," hence "expose publicly," and especially "expose to prostitution."

This is from pro "before" (see pro-) + statuere "cause to stand, establish" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm"). Related: Prostituted; prostituting. Figurative sense of "surrender to any vile or infamous purpose" (of abilities, etc.) is implied from 1570s.

"harlot, woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money), 1610s, from Latin prostituta "prostitute," fem. of prostitutus "exposed publicly," adjectival use of past participle of prostituere "expose to prostitution; expose publicly" (see prostitute (v.)). No distinction in the use of the word was made between women who did so to gratify themselves, those who did so out of necessity, or those who were forced unwillingly to it.

It was somewhat earlier used in English as an adjective, "offered or exposed to lust" (1570s), earlier still in the figurative sense of "debased, devoted to vile or infamous purposes" (1560s).

The notion of "sex for hire" is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one "exposed to lust" (by herself or another) or sex "indiscriminately offered." Descendants of the Latin word are now almost the official European term for the institution: German prostituierte, Russian prostitutka, etc.

Of men, in reference to homosexual acts, by 1886 (implied in a use of prostitution); the phrase male prostitute is attested by 1948. A Latin term for "male prostitute" was spintria, from the source of sphincter; hence Ben Jonson's spintry.

1530s, "act or practice of offering the body to indiscrimninate sexual intercourse for hire," from French prostitution and directly from Late Latin prostitutionem (nominative prostitutio) "prostitution," noun of action from past-participle stem of prostituere "to expose publicly to prostitution" (see prostitute (v.)). Figuratively (of abilities, etc.), "act of devoting or offering to a base or infamous use," by 1640s.

also courtezan, "a prostitute," 1540s, from French courtisane, from Italian cortigiana "prostitute," literally "woman of the court" (a mock-use or euphemism), fem. of cortigiano "one attached to a court," from corte "court," from Latin cortem (see court (n.)).

An earlier identical word in English meant "a courtier, a member of the papal curia" (early 15c.), from Old French courtisan, the masc. form, from Italian cortigiano.

1907, type of cooking vessel, from French cocotte "saucepan" (19c.), a diminutive from cocasse, which is said to be ultimately from Latin cucama.

The meaning "prostitute" (1867) is a different word, from French cocotte, originally a child's name for "little hen" (18c.), hence "sweetie, darling." Compare coquet.

late 15c., solicitacioun, "management," from French solicitation and directly from Latin solicitationem (nominative solicitatio) "vexation, disturbance, instigation," noun of action from past-participle stem of solicitare "to disturb, rouse, stimulate, provoke" (see solicit).

The meaning "action of soliciting" is from 1520s. The specific sense of "enticing of a man by a prostitute in a public place" is from c. 1600.

*stā-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stand, set down, make or be firm," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing."

It forms all or part of: Afghanistan; Anastasia; apostasy; apostate; armistice; arrest; assist; astatic; astatine; Baluchistan; bedstead; circumstance; consist; constable; constant; constitute; contrast; cost; desist; destination; destine; destitute; diastase; distance; distant; ecstasy; epistasis; epistemology; establish; estaminet; estate; etagere; existence; extant; Hindustan; histidine; histo-; histogram; histology; histone; hypostasis; insist; instant; instauration; institute; interstice; isostasy; isostatic; Kazakhstan; metastasis; obstacle; obstetric; obstinate; oust; Pakistan; peristyle; persist; post (n.1) "timber set upright;" press (v.2) "force into service;" presto; prostate; prostitute; resist; rest (v.2) "to be left, remain;" restitution; restive; restore; shtetl; solstice; stable (adj.) "secure against falling;" stable (n.) "building for domestic animals;" stage; stalag; stalwart; stamen; -stan; stance; stanchion; stand; standard; stanza; stapes; starboard; stare decisis; stasis; -stat; stat; state (n.1) "circumstances, conditions;" stater; static; station; statistics; stator; statue; stature; status; statute; staunch; (adj.) "strong, substantial;" stay (v.1) "come to a halt, remain in place;" stay (n.2) "strong rope which supports a ship's mast;" stead; steed; steer (n.) "male beef cattle;" steer (v.) "guide the course of a vehicle;" stem (n.) "trunk of a plant;" stern (n.) "hind part of a ship;" stet; stoa; stoic; stool; store; stound; stow; stud (n.1) "nailhead, knob;" stud (n.2) "horse kept for breeding;" stylite; subsist; substance; substitute; substitution; superstition; system; Taurus; understand.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit tisthati "stands;" Avestan histaiti "to stand;" Persian -stan "country," literally "where one stands;" Greek histēmi "put, place, cause to stand; weigh," stasis "a standing still," statos "placed," stylos "pillar;" Latin sistere "stand still, stop, make stand, place, produce in court," status "manner, position, condition, attitude," stare "to stand," statio "station, post;" Lithuanian stojuos "I place myself," statau "I place;" Old Church Slavonic staja "place myself," stanu "position;" Gothic standan, Old English standan "to stand," stede "place;" Old Norse steði "anvil;" Old Irish sessam "the act of standing."

1620s, "pertaining to harlots," from Latin meretricius "of or pertaining to prostitutes," from meretrix (genitive meretricis) "prostitute," literally "woman who earns money," from merere, mereri "to earn, gain" (from PIE root *(s)mer- (2) "to get a share of something"). Meaning "gaudily alluring, alluring by false attractions" is from 1630s. Related: Meretriciously; meretriciousness.

"prostitute who makes appointments by phone," 1928, from call (n.) + girl.

1887, "immoral woman," sometimes indistinguishable from "prostitute," perhaps from earlier use as a term of endearment to a girl or woman (1864), and sometimes said to be a shortening of sweetheart. But another theory traces it to jam-tart (see tart (n.1)), which was British slang early 19c. for "attractive woman." Extended by 1935 to catamites, male prostitutes, etc.