meretrīx

1. Pellex and the foreign word pallaca (παλλακή, παραλέγεσθαι,) mean the bed-fellow of a married man with reference to his wife, and in opp. to her, as her rival; whereas concubina means any bed-fellow, without further limitation than that she does not live in a state of lawful wedlock. Suet. Cæs. 49. Pellicem reginæ Dolabella Cæsarem dixit: comp. with Ner. 44. Concubinas, quas secum educeret. 2. Pellex and concubina are bound to one man; meretrix, scortum, lupa, prostibulum, are common prostitutes. 3. The meretrices and scorta are not so low as lupæ, prostibula. They exercise some choice and selection, and support themselves by the work of their own hands, from which meretrices derive their name (from mereri); meretrices are considered with ref. to the class they belong to; scorta (κόρη, κοράσιον), with ref. to their moral character, as enticing men to sin, like ἑταῖραι, filles de joie. The meretrices are common; the scorta, lascivious and dissolute. (v. 241.)