Arlot
/ˈɑːr.lət/noun
An obsolete variant of “harlot,” meaning a rogue, vagabond, or disreputable person, later especially a prostitute.
Did you know?“Arlot” preserves an earlier stage of “harlot,” whose meaning shifted from a male or gender-neutral vagabond to a specifically sexually disreputable woman.
Etymological Timeline
12th Century
Anglo-Norman
arlot
“A rogue, vagabond, or low-status person; the precise earlier source is uncertain.”
12th–13th Century
Middle English
arlot
“A rogue, rascal, or person of disreputable character.”
13th Century
Middle English
harlot
“A variant form that could refer to a male servant, rogue, or vagabond.”
14th–15th Century
Middle English
harlot
“Increasingly used as an insult for a morally disreputable person, especially a sexually promiscuous woman.”
Modern English
English
arlot
“An obsolete or dialectal form of “harlot,” now chiefly encountered in historical texts.”