What does strumpet mean?
Strumpet is a now-rare noun and a strongly derogatory label for a prostitute or, more broadly, a woman regarded as sexually promiscuous or socially disreputable. In older writing it could describe a woman of low status as well as a prostitute, and the term was sometimes used as a general insult rather than as a precise description. Its appearance in Renaissance and later literature gives it an archaic flavor, but the word remains insulting whenever used, and neutral modern speakers should prefer terms such as sex worker or prostitute when a factual label is required. The word is chiefly remembered from early modern English, where it could be more openly used in political and personal attacks. Though its precise origin is uncertain, it has often been linked to a word for a stocking or rag, perhaps suggesting ragged clothing. Today, strumpet survives mainly in historical texts, literary quotation, and contexts in which the speaker deliberately invokes an old-fashioned slur.
nounA derogatory term for a prostitute or, more broadly, a woman regarded as sexually promiscuous or socially disreputable.
- A prostitute or a woman engaged in promiscuous sexual activity.
- A woman regarded by the speaker as disreputable, of low social standing, or morally unworthy.
"The political pamphlet dismissed its opponents as strumpets and moral degenerates."
"The writer described the women gathered around the duke as strumpets and hangers-on."
"Her accusation of the council was dismissed as the ravings of a strumpet."
Plural forms are rare in modern use because the headword itself is chiefly historical or literary and strongly derogatory.
"The novel portrays the strumpets of the port as rivals in a bitter dispute."
An old-fashioned insult that sounds almost theatrical but remains unmistakably derogatory.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does strumpet come from?
The word dates from the early 16th century, but its precise origin is uncertain. It has often been linked to German Strumpf, meaning a stocking or rag, perhaps through an allusion to ragged clothing, although this derivation remains disputed.
How strumpet is actually used
The word is strongly derogatory and now sounds archaic or literary. In historical texts it could function as a general insult for a woman without establishing that she was a prostitute. It is not appropriate as a neutral description of a sex worker.
Easily confused with strumpet
A strumpet is a derogatory term for a woman, whereas a trumpet is a musical instrument or, figuratively, something that loudly proclaims a fact or event.