/ ˈkɔːr.t̬ə.zæn / add to word list a woman, usually with a high social position, who in the past had sexual relationships with rich or important men in exchange for money (definition of courtesan from the cambridge advanced learner's dictionary & thesaurus © cambridge university press) Definition of courtesan noun in oxford advanced learner's dictionary One associating with noblemen or men of wealth
Meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the oxford english dictionary
A woman prostitute, especially one whose clients are members of a royal court or men of high social standing
From the renaissance on, european kings and noblemen often kept a courtesan, that is, a woman with whom they had a relationship but were not married to The courtesan got her name quite literally from the royal court where she lived. (especially in historical use) a mistress, paramour, or prostitute, especially one associating with noblemen or men of wealth. See examples of courtesan used in a sentence.
