brothel

[ broth-uhl, broth-, braw-thuhl, -thuhl ]

noun

1. a house of prostitution.

brothel

/ ˈbrɒθəl /

noun

1. a house or other place where men pay to have sexual intercourse with prostitutes
2. informal.
   any untidy or messy place

Other Words From

• brothel·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of brothel¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; short for brothel-house “whorehouse”; Middle English brothel “harlot,” originally, “worthless person,” from broth- (past participle stem of brethen, Old English brēothan “to decay, degenerate”) + -el, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of brothel¹

C16: short for brothel-house , from C14 brothel useless person, from Old English brēothan to deteriorate; related to briethel worthless

Example Sentences

When they entered her brothel, a small room with a plastic-covered bed, vanity table and sink, they discovered Betty Szabo's body.

From BBC

An underground tunnel used for torturing people and a brothel were found during investigations at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny University in the main city of Abidjan, the authorities say.

From BBC

But although his new project, centered on a brothel, may return him to familiar terrain, it could be very different in another regard.

From Los Angeles Times

For a while after graduating, Sir Keir lived above a brothel in north London.

From BBC

Later this month, people in Berlin will be able to book an hour with an AI sex doll as the world’s first cyber brothel rolls out the service following a test phase.

From BBC

Related Words

• bordello
• red-light district