courtesan
noun
cour·te·san
ˈkȯr-tə-zən 
-ˌzan,
also ˈkər-,
-ˌzän;
especially British ˌkȯ-tə-ˈzan
: a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele
Synonyms
Examples of courtesan in a Sentence
the protagonist of the novel is a composite of several real-life courtesans who plied their trade among the decadent aristocracy
Recent Examples on the Web
Costner does not even appear until 66 minutes into the movie as Hayes Ellison., a mysterious gunslinger who crosses paths with a local courtesan, Marigold (Abbey Lee).
—
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 June 2024
Highly detailed silks also were used for courtesans, high-ranking women and in men’s ceremonial dress, many with metallic threads that reflect the candlelit interiors.
—Valli Herman, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024
In this Japan, the courtesans killed one another in their sleep.
—Ryu Spaeth, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2024
The lower section, now in the Correr Museum in Venice, shows two courtesans sitting on a balcony overlooking the lagoon where the hunters cavort, a vase perched on the ledge with a telltale flowerless stem rising from it.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtesan 
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 June 2024
Highly detailed silks also were used for courtesans, high-ranking women and in men’s ceremonial dress, many with metallic threads that reflect the candlelit interiors.
—Valli Herman, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2024
In this Japan, the courtesans killed one another in their sleep.
—Ryu Spaeth, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2024
The lower section, now in the Correr Museum in Venice, shows two courtesans sitting on a balcony overlooking the lagoon where the hunters cavort, a vase perched on the ledge with a telltale flowerless stem rising from it.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtesan
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courtesan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Courtesan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtesan. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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