noun
also cour·te·zan ˈkōr]d.əzən, ˈkər], ˈkōə], ˈkȯ], ˈkə̄], ˈkəi], ]tə-, -əsən also -ˌzan or -ˌsan or -aa(ə)n, esp Brit ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈzan\
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French courtisane, from Old Italian cortigiana woman courtier, feminine of cortigiano courtier, from corte court (from Latin cohort-, cohors ) + -igiano (suffix denoting origin, from -ese — from Latin -ensis — + -ano -an) — more at court
: a prostitute or kept woman often with a clientele drawn from a court or from the wealthy or the upper class