plural bawds
1
old-fashioned
a
: a woman who runs a brothel : madam
b
: a woman who engages in sexual acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : a woman who is a sex worker
2
obsolete
: pander
Examples of bawd in a Sentence
in the 17th century the port was a notorious hangout for Caribbean pirates and their bawds
Recent Examples on the Web
Lewd women, bawds and adventuresses were not welcome in courts, nor were prostitutes or immoral characters.
—
Clement Knox, Time, 4 Feb. 2020
Two rival madams—based on real historical characters—are fighting each other for a customer base: earthy bawd Mrs. Margaret Wells and elegant, conniving Mrs. Lydia Quigley.
—Viv Groskop, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2017
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Clement Knox, Time, 4 Feb. 2020
Two rival madams—based on real historical characters—are fighting each other for a customer base: earthy bawd Mrs. Margaret Wells and elegant, conniving Mrs. Lydia Quigley.
—Viv Groskop, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Bawd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bawd. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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