strumpet

English

WOTD – 19 August 2015

Etymology

From Middle English strumpet, strompet, strumpett. Further origin uncertain; possibly from Middle Dutch strompen (to stalk) or strompe (stocking); or Late Latin stuprum (violation) or stuprare (to violate).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstɹʌm.pɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ʌmpɪt

Noun

strumpet (plural strumpets)

  1. A female prostitute
  2. A woman who is very sexually active.
  3. A female adulterer.
  4. A mistress.
  5. (derogatory) A trollop; a whore.
    • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Symptomes of Iealousie, Fear, Sorrow, Suspition, Strange Actions, Gestures, Outrages, Locking Up, Oathes, Trials, Lawes, &c.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Printed by Iohn Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 216894069; The Anatomy of Melancholy. [], 5th corrected and augmented edition, Oxford: Printed [by Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, 1638, OCLC 932915040, partition 3, section 3, member 2, subsection 1, page 610:
      He cals her on a ſudden, all to naught; ſhe is a ſtrumpet, a light huswife, a bitch, an arrant whore.
    • 1936: Like the Phoenix by Anthony Bertram
      However, terrible as it may seem to the tall maiden sisters of J.P.'s in Queen Anne houses with walled vegetable gardens, this courtesan, strumpet, harlot, whore, punk, fille de joie, street-walker, this trollop, this trull, this baggage, this hussy, this drab, skit, rig, quean, mopsy, demirep, demimondaine, this wanton, this fornicatress, this doxy, this concubine, this frail sister, this poor Queenie--did actually solicit me, did actually say 'coming home to-night, dearie' and my soul was not blasted enough to call a policeman.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

strumpet (third-person singular simple present strumpets, present participle strumpeting, simple past and past participle strumpeted)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To debauch.
    • 1591, William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors, II. ii. 153:
      My blood is mingled with the crime of lust; / For if we two be one, and thou play false, / I do digest the poison of thy flesh, / Being strumpeted by thy contagion.
  2. (obsolete, transitive) To dishonour with the reputation of being a strumpet; to belie; to slander.
    • Massinger
      With his untrue reports, strumpet your fame.

Anagrams

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