puella publica
- noun
- /puˈɛlə ˈpʊblɪkə/
- NSFW
:
puella pública
- Her research included a chapter about the life of a puella publica in the first century BCE.
Examples
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Many ancient texts refer to the puella publica as an accepted part of Roman society.
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Many puellae publicae were known for their beauty and charm.
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The status of a puella publica differed greatly from that of other Roman women.
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The term puella publica was commonly used in ancient Rome.
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Historians often debate the role of the puella publica in ancient Rome's entertainment culture.
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In ancient texts, a puella publica is frequently depicted in various social settings across the city.
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The life of a puella publica was regulated by local laws in ancient Rome, distinguishing her from ordinary citizens.
Synonyms
342
4.2
A person who has sex with other people for money
314
9.0
A person who sells sex for money, often on the street
1
9.9
A woman who has sex for money, used in older books
A woman who works as a prostitute
How Respected
Surface Forms
Morphology
puella + publicum
The literal composition 'puella' (girl) + 'publica/publicum' (public) yields 'public girl/woman', which can plausibly be interpreted as a woman publicly available and thus hint at 'prostitute' or public entertainer. However, the precise historical/cultural sense requires background knowledge and the form is Latin, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would not fully predict the specific occupational/pejorative meaning without exposure.
Etymology
Puella publica comes from Latin: puella means 'girl' and publica means 'public', so the phrase named women who worked openly in public places, like entertainers or prostitutes. That's why the term came to mean 'a public woman' in ancient Rome.