An old-fashioned insulting word for a woman considered to have loose sexual morals; a prostitute or promiscuous person.
From Middle English, possibly from Middle Dutch 'strompet.' The origin is uncertain, but it appeared in English around the 14th century as a derogatory term.
The word 'strumpet' appears constantly in Shakespeare and pre-modern literature as a gendered insult, revealing how differently societies have judged women's sexuality—men with multiple partners were rarely condemned with such language.
Term derived from Middle English/Dutch meaning sexually promiscuous woman; historically weaponized to shame women's sexuality while men faced no equivalent moral judgment. Embedded asymmetric sexual double standards.
Avoid in modern usage. If historical context requires mention, use 'sex worker' or 'woman shamed for sexual activity' with contextual explanation.
["sex worker","woman shamed for sexuality"]
Women's sexuality and labour have been criminalized and moralized in ways male sexuality never was; recognizing this asymmetry restores accurate history.
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