English
prostitute
Prostitute comes from Latin prōstitūtus ‘prostituted’, from statuō ‘to put up (something)’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *statuō ‘to erect, set up’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statuō‘to erect, set up’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstatuō‘to put up (something)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōstituō‘to prostitute’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōstitūtus‘prostituted’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611prostitute
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*statuō‘to erect, set up’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstatuō‘to put up (something)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōstituō‘to prostitute’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōstitūtus‘prostituted’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611prostitute
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Do not prostitute thy daughter.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’
system, stay, rest, post, stand, distance, assistant, stadium, assistance, instance, stood, establish, stable, assist, consistent, contest, instant, substance, distant, resist, stability, destination, stem, destiny, insist, consist, testimony, static, persistent, persist, stationary, stud, stool, extant, stale, stamina, distal, armistice, attest, desist, 152 more
through Proto-Italic *status ‘setting up’
state, estado, statuette, 6 more
through Latin statuō ‘to put up (something)’
institute, constitution, statue, institution, substitute, statute, constituent, constitute, substitution, restitution, destitute, destitution, 6 more
Today it means
adj Debased, corrupt; seeking personal gain by dishonourable means.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *statuō / prostitute