gigolo

Meaning

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A man who has a sexual relationship with a woman from whom he receives payment; a prostitute.
A hired escort or dancing partner for a woman.

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈd͡ʒɪɡ.ə.loʊ/

First attested in English in 1922. From French gigolo (“young lover kept by an older woman”), first attested in that sense in 1904 (attested since 1850 in the sense “Amant de cœur, compagnon d'une gigolette", and since 1894 in the sense “elegant young man whose means of livelihood are dubious”), a back-formation from gigolette (“promiscuous dancing girl, girl available for hire as a dancing partner”), attested since 1850, from giguer (“to dance”), from gigue (“fiddle; type of dance; jig”). More at jig.