Lady of the night
Meaning
A 'Lady of the night' is a euphemism for a woman who works as a prostitute.
Origin
The evocative phrase 'Lady of the night' emerged during a period when society, particularly Victorian England, sought to sanitize or euphemize professions deemed illicit or immoral. Prostitution, though pervasive, was rarely spoken of directly in polite company. The term functions as a poignant oxymoron, juxtaposing the societal ideal of a 'lady'—a woman of refinement and virtue—with the grim reality of a woman forced by circumstance or choice to ply her trade under the cover of darkness. This poetic softening allowed for oblique reference, transforming a harsh societal truth into a veiled, almost romanticized, image of nocturnal existence, thereby acknowledging her presence while simultaneously distancing her from conventional society.
Examples
- The detective noted that a lady of the night had been seen in the alley just hours before the incident.
- Despite the risks, the young lady of the night continued to walk the streets to support her family.