Whore
noun /hɔːr/ — A prostitute; one of the oldest sexual taboo words in English
Definition
A person who engages in sexual activity for payment — one of the oldest English words for a sex worker. Used as an insult implying sexual promiscuity or moral corruption. Its Proto-Germanic root connects it to simple desire, not condemnation — the judgment accumulated later.
Beyond the definition
Whore is one of the most ancient taboo words in English — its root simply meant 'one who desires'. The condemnation was layered on over centuries of religious and social policing of sexuality. The word's etymology is innocent; its history is not.
Origin & history
Old English: hōre, from Proto-Germanic *hōrōn (one who desires, lover). The root is simply desire — no judgment. The negative connotations accumulated through medieval Christian influence on attitudes to sexuality.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The word 'whore' comes from a Proto-Germanic root meaning desire — the judgment came later.
Sex workers reclaiming 'whore' challenges the premise that sex work is inherently shameful.
Language reveals how societies treated sexual labour over time.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Whore” when the meaning fits your context: A person who engages in sexual activity for payment — one of the oldest English words for a sex worker. Used as an insult implying sexual promiscuity or moral corruption. Its Proto-Germanic root connects it to simple desire, not condemnation — the judgment accumulated later.
Synonyms
sex worker, prostitute
Related words
Whore vs sex worker
Whore is a derogatory slur used to shame individuals. Sex worker is the respectful, objective professional term used to describe the industry.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Valuation and Desire
Two adults negotiate at a small produce market stall with coins.
The negotiation at the market represents the transactional nature of exchange, which is the historical root of the word 'whore'. It links the simple desire for goods to the later moral judgments attached to the commodification of sexual activity.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Whore" mean?
Whore is noun meaning: A prostitute; one of the oldest sexual taboo words in English. A person who engages in sexual activity for payment — one of the oldest English words for a sex worker. Used as an insult implying sexual promiscuity or moral corruption. Its Proto-Germanic root connects it to simple desire, not condemnation — the judgment accumulated later.
Where does the word "Whore" come from?
Old English: hōre, from Proto-Germanic *hōrōn (one who desires, lover). The root is simply desire — no judgment. The negative connotations accumulated through medieval Christian influence on attitudes to sexuality.