gigolo English · revision 1114

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɪɡ.ə.ləʊ/, /ˈʒɪɡ.ə.ləʊ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈd͡ʒɪɡ.ə.loʊ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|gigolo]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) formed as a masculine of ''gigolette'' or ''gigole'' “dancing girl, prostitute”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) perhaps from ''giguer'' or ''gigoter'' “to dance, hop about”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from ''gigue'' “fiddle; shank”.^(AHD)^(Etymonline) The same word may have been borrowed earlier as Middle English ''giglot'' “wanton girl”, later used of villainous men.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) It is related to [[jig]] and [[gigot]].^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A professional male dancing partner or escort (1922).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline quotes Edna Ferber's story ''Gigolo'' (1922), set among Americans touring Europe.^(Etymonline) It came to mean especially a man, often a young one, supported by a woman, usually an older one, in return for his attentions.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – ''gigelot'', a wanton woman.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * mid-15th century – ''giglot'', a villainous man.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1922 – ''gigolo''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A man supported financially by a woman, usually an older one, in return for his company and sexual attentions; a kept man.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A man hired as a dancing partner or [[escort]] for a woman.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[giglet]]

+ * [[jig]]

+ * [[gigot]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}