Added 9 October 2026
bawd
/bɔːd/ noun
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about bawd at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money.
Origin
From Middle English bawde, baude, from Old French baud (“bold, lively, jolly, gay”). Doublet of bold. An association with Welsh bawddyn (“dirty fellow, scoundrel”), from baw (“dirt”), was suggested by the Rev. Henry Todd.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)