Meaning & use
courtesan
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
In earlier times, a woman who was the companion of rich or powerful men and was paid or supported by them.
Grammar: Historical and literary word; modern writers usually avoid it for real people.
Patterns
- courtesan to someone
The painting shows a Venetian courtesan in an elegant gown.
She became a famous courtesan at the royal court.
The novel follows a clever courtesan who gains influence in society.
Word forms
| plural | courtesans |
|---|
Common combinations
- a famous courtesan
- A famous courtesan hosted gatherings for artists.
- royal courtesan
- The royal courtesan was admired and resented at court.
- Venetian courtesan
- The Venetian courtesan was known for her poetry.
- become a courtesan
- In the story, she becomes a courtesan to escape poverty.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mistress
- Mistress means a woman in a long relationship with a married man and lacks the court setting of courtesan.
- concubine
- Concubine suggests a formally recognized secondary partner, often in a household, rather than a socially skilled companion.
- prostitute
- Prostitute is the plain term for selling sex and lacks the status and refinement implied by courtesan.
Word family
Commonly confused: courtesan or courtier?
courtesan vs courtier
A courtier is a person, male or female, who attends a royal court, while a courtesan was a paid or supported companion.
Practice
A courtesan is best described as what?
Choose one answer.
A courtesan was a woman supported by powerful or rich men. A judge and a diplomat belong to different roles, and royal birth is not part of the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “courtesan”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.