Cathouses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A building or establishment where individuals engage in sexual activities, often serving as a venue for prostitution
2. A term that may describe places designed for illicit or adult-centered encounters
3. An informal designation for locations providing sexual services and often associated with specific social activities

Etymology: The plural "cathouses" is simply the plural of "cathouse," a compound of "cat" and "house." The "cat" element is the familiar animal word, and "house" is the ordinary building word, so the compound's literal sense is a house where cats are kept. Its slang meaning, a house of prostitution, is a figurative extension of that compound rather than a sense the two parts carry on their own.

Synonyms: brothels, houses of ill repute, whorehouses, red-light districts, escort services