harlot English · revision 1333

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhɑːlət/ ''(UK)''; /ˈhɑɹlət/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|herlot]] or ''arlot'' “vagabond, tramp”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a word of uncertain or unknown origin^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) with relatives in Old Provençal, Old Spanish and Italian.^(Etymonline) Some suggest a Germanic origin meaning “camp follower”, with a first element ''hari'' “army”.^(Etymonline) The American Heritage Dictionary notes that the old story deriving it from Arlette, mother of William the Conqueror, is disproved by the word's history.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A vagabond, beggar or rogue (about 1200).^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English and Old French the word usually referred to men,^(Etymonline) and Chaucer used it in both good and bad senses.^(Etymonline) It was applied to jesters, buffoons and jugglers (before 1340)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and to a man of loose life,^(OED 1989)^(AHD) before it meant an unchaste woman or prostitute (1432–50).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The 16th-century Bible translations, which used it in place of ''whore'', reinforced this sense.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 12th century – in surnames.^(Etymonline)

+ * about 1200 – a vagabond or rogue.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1340 – a jester or buffoon.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1432–50 – a prostitute.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 16th century – frequent in English Bible versions.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[prostitute]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A [[vagabond]] or rogue.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[harlotry]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}