Lupanar
/ˈluːpənɑːr/noun
A brothel, especially one associated with ancient Rome or Pompeii.
Did you know?The Latin word lupa originally meant “she-wolf,” but it also became slang for a prostitute, possibly because the wolf symbolized sexual predation or because lupa was a conventional insult.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wĺ̥kʷos
“Wolf, the wild predator”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λύκος (lýkos)
“Wolf; source of scientific and mythological terms involving wolves”
Classical Latin
Latin
lupa
“She-wolf; also a vulgar term for a prostitute”
Classical Latin
Latin
lupanar
“A brothel, literally a place associated with a lupa”
19th Century
English
lupanar
“A brothel, especially one of ancient Roman character”
Explore more surprising origins