Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man; a mistress. This term refers to a woman involved in a long-term, typically secret, sexual relationship with a man who is married to someone else.
   • A prostitute; a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money. This is an archaic or derogatory term for a sex worker.

Usage

• The term "fancy woman" is considered old-fashioned, derogatory, and offensive. It is rarely used in modern, polite conversation. When it is used, it carries strong negative judgment.
• It is primarily used as a noun phrase. The adjective "fancy" in this context is not about elegance but is an archaic slang term implying "whimsical" or "frivolous" attraction.

Examples

• As a mistress:
  • Rumors spread that the wealthy businessman kept a fancy woman in an apartment across town.
  • In the old novel, the lord's fancy woman was a source of great scandal.
• As a prostitute (archaic usage):
  • The saloon was frequented by gamblers and their fancy women.
  • He wasted his inheritance on drink and fancy women.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often found in historical contexts, literature, or period dramas to depict social mores of the past.
• It can be used pejoratively to shame or criticize a woman's character, implying promiscuity or immorality.

Variants and Related Words

• Mistress (n): A woman having an extramarital sexual relationship with a man, especially a long-term one. (Less archaic than "fancy woman," but still sensitive).
• Paramour (n): A lover, especially the illicit partner of a married person. (A more formal, literary term).
• Courtesan (n): A prostitute, particularly one with wealthy or upper-class clients. (Historical/literary).
• Kept woman (n): A woman who is financially supported by a lover in exchange for her companionship and sexual favors. (Similar to the "mistress" sense).

Synonyms

• Mistress
• Lover (in the context of an affair)
• Prostitute (for the second meaning)
• Doxy (archaic slang)

Antonyms

• Wife
• Spouse
• Partner (in a committed, acknowledged relationship)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Fancy man": The male counterpart, though even less common. It refers to a woman's extramarital lover or, archaically, a pimp.
  • He was rumored to be her fancy man.

Noun

1. an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
2. a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money