femme de petite vertu
French edit
Etymology edit
femme (“woman”) + de petite vertu (“of easy virtue”, literally “of small virtue”)
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
femme de petite vertu f (plural femmes de petite vertu)
- (euphemistic) loose woman, strumpet (promiscuous woman)
- (euphemistic) woman of easy virtue, prostitute (woman having sex for profit)
- Synonym: prostituée
Usage notes edit
In addition to the usual plural femmes de petite vertu, which preserves the set form of the locution de petite vertu, the alternative femmes de petites vertus is attested, but significantly less common.