Catin
/ˈkætɪn/noun
An archaic or dialectal English term for a prostitute, borrowed from French.
Did you know?French catin originally functioned as a familiar form of Catherine before developing into a derogatory term for a sexually promiscuous woman or prostitute.
Etymological Timeline
Late Antiquity
Late Latin
Catharina
“The Latin form of the personal name Catherine; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
Medieval Period
French
Catherine
“The French form of the Christian personal name Catherine.”
16th–17th Century
French
catin
“A familiar or diminutive form of Catherine, later acquiring a vulgar meaning for a woman of supposedly loose morals.”
17th Century
French
catin
“A prostitute or sexually disreputable woman; the derogatory sense became established.”
18th–19th Century
English
catin
“A rare borrowed term for a prostitute, now archaic or dialectal.”