whore-monger

Definition
  1. Noun (archaic or derogatory):
    • A person who habitually consorts with prostitutes; a frequenter of brothels or someone who engages in commercial sexual transactions.
    • Historically, also used as a term of abuse for a man who is promiscuous or morally corrupt in sexual matters.
Usage Examples
  • (A man who regularly visited prostitutes.)
  • (A moral censure against sexual immorality.)
Advanced Usage
  • “whore-monger” as a historical insult: In 17th-century English, it was a common slur used in religious or legal contexts to shame men for sexual misconduct.
    • The court records listed him as a “common whore-monger,” a label that could ruin his reputation. (A formal accusation of habitual vice.)
  • “whore-monger” in literature: Appears in works by authors like John Bunyan or Jonathan Swift to depict depravity.
    • In “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” the character of Mr. Badman is a whore-monger who leads others into sin. (A literary archetype of moral decay.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Whore-monger (alternative spelling): Same meaning; the hyphenated form is more common in older texts.
    • He was a whore-monger of the worst kind, preying on the vulnerable. (Same as “whore-monger.”)
  • Whoremongering (noun or adjective): The practice of frequenting prostitutes; engaging in such behavior.
    • The church condemned whoremongering as a mortal sin. (The act itself.)
  • Whore (noun): A prostitute; a person who sells sexual services.
    • She was forced into the life of a whore by poverty. (A sex worker.)
  • Monger (suffix): A person who promotes or deals in something (e.g., fishmonger, scandal-monger). Used here with “whore” to mean a trader in or habitue of prostitutes.
Synonyms
  • Fornicator: A person who has sex outside marriage (more general, less specific to prostitution).
  • Rake: A man of loose morals, often promiscuous (archaic, but less derogatory).
  • Lecher: A man with excessive or offensive sexual desire (strongly negative).
  • Debauchee: A person who indulges in excessive pleasure, especially sexual (formal, historical).
Phrasal Verbs

(No common phrasal verbs exist for “whore-monger,” as it is a compound noun. Related verb phrases include:) - Go whoring: To visit prostitutes or engage in promiscuous behavior. - He was known to go whoring every payday. (To frequent brothels.)

Related Idioms
  • “A whore-monger’s life”: A life of vice, debauchery, and moral decay.
    • He threw away his family for a whore-monger’s life in the taverns. (A lifestyle centered on prostitution and drinking.)
  • “To whore after”: To pursue something (often wealth or pleasure) obsessively, like a whore-monger pursues prostitutes.
    • He whored after fame, sacrificing his integrity. (To chase something unwholesomely.)

Note: This term is highly offensive and archaic. It is rarely used in modern English except in historical, legal, or literary contexts. It carries strong moral condemnation and should be employed with caution.