unfortunate women
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Prostitutes: so termed by the virtuous and compassionate of their own sex.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
người bán dâm, được gọi như vậy bởi những người phụ nữ có lòng trắc ẩn
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “unfortunate women” mean?
Prostitutes: so termed by the virtuous and compassionate of their own sex.
Is “unfortunate women” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.