whorehouse
Meaning
a building where prostitutes work; a brothel.
Structure
Usage
the novel depicted the gritty life surrounding a nineteenth-century whorehouse.
the old part of town was once known for its numerous whorehouses.
authorities raided the suspected whorehouse and made several arrests.
Etymology
The word 'whorehouse' is a transparent compound formed from two ancient Germanic roots. The first element, 'whore', descends from Proto-Germanic 'hōrǭ', which carried the meaning of an adulterer or fornicator, a sense that narrowed over time to specifically denote a prostitute. The second element, 'house', originates from Proto-Germanic 'hūsą', meaning a dwelling or shelter. When combined in Middle English, these elements created a direct, literal term for a building housing prostitutes. This compound follows a common English pattern where a person's designation is paired with 'house' to specify their place of work or residence, such as in 'workhouse' or 'poorhouse', resulting in a word whose modern meaning is a direct sum of its historical parts.
Analysis
- whore: from old english 'hōre', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'hoer' and german 'hure'. functions as the core noun denoting a prostitute. - house: from old english 'hūs', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'huis' and german 'haus'. functions as a noun suffix indicating a building or establishment.