gigolo

First attested in English in 1922.[1] From French gigolo (“young lover kept by an older woman”), first attested in that sense in 1904 (attested since 1850 in the sense “lover of a gigolette or pimp”, and since 1894 in the sense “elegant young man whose means of livelihood are dubious”),[2][3] a back-formation from gigolette (“promiscuous dancing girl, girl available for hire as a dancing partner”),[4] attested since 1850, from giguer (“to dance”), from gigue (“fiddle; type of dance; jig”). More at jig.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɪɡ.ə.loʊ/[5][6] or /ˈʒɪɡ.loʊ/[7][1]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɪɡ.ə.ləʊ/[8][6] or IPA^(key): /ˈʒɪɡ.ə.ləʊ/[4][9]
• Hyphenation: gig‧o‧lo

gigolo (plural gigolos)

1. A man who has a sexual relationship with a woman from whom he receives payment.
2. A hired escort or dancing partner for a woman.
   • 1929, Irving Caesar, "Just a Gigolo" lyrics:

     I'm just a gigolo / And everywhere I go / People know the part I'm playin' / Paid for every dance / Sellin' each romance / Ooh, what they're sayin'

• See also Thesaurus:prostitute

From gigolette +‎ -lo.

• IPA^(key): /ʒi.ɡɔ.lo/

gigolo m (plural gigolos)

1. (informal, derogatory) gigolo

• “gigolo” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).