brothel

noun

broth·el ˈbrä-thəl ˈbrȯ-

also -t͟həl

plural brothels

Synonyms of brothel

: a business establishment where sex workers are available for hire

For recreation, there were bars, after-hours joints, pool halls, strip joints, brothels, and transient motels.—Darlene Nall

Elizaveta is happy to become the madam of a high-class brothel.—Jonathan Fast

In the brutal red-light district of Chicago, at the dawn of the 20th century, most brothels emphasized "efficiency instead of fantasy."—Ada Calhoun

Examples of brothel in a Sentence

the district is infamous for its brothels and drug dealers

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

No longer confined to gambling dens and brothel districts, yakuza muscled their way into other businesses, some legal, some not. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 California crime The LAPD busted a secret network of brothels — but hasn’t arrested the owner. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Did something happen in her youth that might inform why Cathy, after marrying Adam, goes on to shoot him, leave their newborns, join a brothel, slowly poison the madam, and then take her job? — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 When Charles breaks down inside the brothel, how much of it was about Adam versus Cathy? — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brothel

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, worthless fellow, prostitute, from brothen, past participle of brethen to waste away, go to ruin, from Old English brēothan to waste away; akin to Old English brēotan to break — more at brittle

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of brothel was in 1566

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

broth

brothel

brother

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Brothel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brothel. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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brothel

noun

Synonyms of brothel

Examples of brothel in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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