blowen
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Originally a showy or flaunting female, now a prostitute only. In Wilts, a BLOWEN is a blossom. Germ. BLÜHEN, to bloom. In German, also, BUHLEN is to court, and BUHLE, a sweetheart.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “blowen” mean?
Originally a showy or flaunting female, now a prostitute only. In Wilts, a BLOWEN is a blossom. Germ. BLÜHEN, to bloom. In German, also, BUHLEN is to court, and BUHLE, a sweetheart.
Is “blowen” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.