Blowen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Slang for a coarse, shabby or disreputable woman, often one who is a prostitute or a kept mistress
2. A dated British slang term for a blowsy, vulgar or tawdry woman, frequently implying prostitution or a loose lifestyle
3. Describes a flashy, unkempt and morally dubious woman, and in older usage often a prostitute or a man's mistress

Etymology: "Blowen" is British slang for a flashy, vulgar woman, one whose showy, overdone appearance suggests a coarse or disreputable character. Its origin is uncertain. The most likely link is to "blowze," an older English word for a ruddy-faced, untidy woman, which also gave the adjective "blowzy," meaning disheveled or florid. The shared shape and sense make that connection plausible, though the exact path from one word to the other is not documented. Some slang sources also list the word as a term for a prostitute, so its meaning has long carried a hint of the disreputable. Because it survived mainly in spoken and street usage, the written record is thin, and the link to "blowze" remains an informed inference rather than a settled fact.

Synonyms: trollop, tart, hussy, harlot, strumpet