What is the Latin word for harlot?

The usual Latin words for “harlot” are meretrīx, scortum, prōstibulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“harlot” in Latin

meretrīxa female prostitute or courtesan scortumharlot, prostitute (of either sex); animal skin stripped off, hide, fell, pelt prōstibulumprostitute, whore; brothel

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

harlot

meretrix: scortum: meritorium scortum (the meretrices and scorta belong to a sort of trade, and live by their earnings, from which meretrices derive their name [from mereri]; the scorta are a lower sort of meretrices, like ἑταῖραι, filles de joie. The meretrices are common; the scorta, lascivious and dissolute, Döderlein). A common harlot, prostibulum: mulier omnibus proposita: scortum vulgare: meretrix vulgatissima: to be a harlot, vita institutoque esse meretricio. Vid: PROSTITUTE.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for harlot?: The usual Latin words for “harlot” are meretrīx, scortum, prōstibulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.