Working girl
Meaning
A euphemistic term for a woman who engages in prostitution or sex work.
Origin
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as more women entered the public workforce, "working girl" was an innocent and common descriptor for any young woman who held a job. However, the rapidly changing urban environment also saw an increase in street solicitation, and the phrase quickly acquired a darker, more illicit connotation. Its very ambiguity, hinting at labor without specifying its nature, transformed it into a convenient euphemism for prostitution, allowing polite society to refer to sex workers without directly naming their profession, a linguistic veil over a common, if stigmatized, occupation.
Examples
- The detective was trying to gather information from a local working girl about the recent disappearances in the district.
- Though often marginalized, many working girls found ways to support themselves and their families in difficult times.