Whore
/wɔːr/
nounC2
Definition
"Whore" is a rude and insulting word for someone who sells sex for money. It is often used to shame or hurt people and is considered very disrespectful. Because of its strong negative meaning, it is usually avoided in polite conversation.
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See It in Action
A person, usually a woman, who has sex for money (offensive)
- •The old book used the word "whore" to describe women in certain towns.
- •The character in the story was called a whore by others, showing how people judged her.
- •Using the word "whore" to insult someone is very hurtful and disrespectful.
Used as an insult to say someone is immoral or bad (not always about sex)
- •He shouted "whore" during the argument to hurt his opponent.
- •Calling someone a whore is a way to insult their character, but it is very rude.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "whore" like the simple word "bad" (A1), but much stronger and very offensive—used as a harsh insult.
- ✓Picture someone shouting a mean word to hurt another person deeply.
- ✓It's the feeling of being very angry or disrespectful toward someone, often unfairly.
- ✓Sounds like "whore" → imagine a loud, sharp sound that cuts like a harsh word spoken quickly.
- ✓In stories or movies, a "whore" is sometimes shown as a character with a bad reputation, but this often shows unfair judgment or stereotypes.
- ✓NOT like "worker" (someone doing a normal job), "whore" is a negative label for a specific behavior with strong judgment.
- ✓NOT like "sex worker" (a polite or neutral term), "whore" is rude and insulting.
- ✓NOT like "friend" (positive), "whore" is used to hurt or insult.
- ✓NOT like "prostitute" (more neutral or formal), "whore" is more offensive and emotional.
Try Other Words
- •Prostitute: a person who sells sex for money (use in formal or polite contexts)
- •Sex worker: a respectful term for someone who works in the sex industry (use in polite or neutral conversations)
- •Insult: a general word to describe rude or hurtful words (use when you want to avoid offensive language)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; a single root word)
- •Etymology: From Old English "whōr," related to Old High German "huora," meaning a woman who has sex for money
- •Historical development: Used for centuries as a descriptive term for sex workers, but over time became a strong insult
- •Modern usage: Mostly used as a rude insult; many prefer more neutral terms like "prostitute" or "sex worker" to avoid offense
Reflect & Connect
•How does the use of the word "whore" affect the way people feel and behave toward others?
•Can language like this change how society thinks about people who work in the sex industry?
Fill in the blanks
1.People often use the word whore to ___ or ___ someone, not just to describe a job.
2.Unlike polite terms like prostitute, whore is a ___ word that can hurt feelings deeply.
3.When someone calls another person a whore during an argument, they usually want to ___ them.
4.The word whore is ___ and is not used in polite or respectful conversations.
5.Saying whore can make people feel ___ or ___ because it is very insulting.
6.The word whore is different from sex worker because it is more ___ and less respectful.
7.In stories, a character called a whore usually faces ___ or ___ from others because of this label.