brothel

The modern meaning of 'brothel' evolved through a fascinating process of semantic shift. Originally, in Middle English, a 'brothel' was not a place but a person—specifically a worthless, good-for-nothing man or a scoundrel. By the late 16th century, the term was applied to a woman considered sexually immoral or a prostitute. The final logical step occurred through the common English pattern of using an adjective with a dropped noun; the phrase 'brothel house' (a house inhabited by 'brothels' or prostitutes) was shortened, transferring the label from the person to the establishment itself. This journey from describing a morally corrupt individual to naming the place associated with such activity illustrates a classic metonymic shift in the history of English vocabulary.

The word 'brothel' is a simplex word. It originates from the Middle English 'brothel', meaning 'a worthless man, a scoundrel', which itself came from the Old English 'brothen', the past participle of 'breothan' meaning 'to go to ruin'.