In former times, a courtesan was a woman who had sexual relationships with rich and powerful men for money. a woman who had sex with rich or important men for money in the past prostitute (courtisane, from cortigiana , from corte )
courtesans
Etymology
[ 'kOr-t&-z&n, 'kor-, -" ] (noun.) 1533. Middle French courtisane, from northern Italian dialect form of Italian cortigiana woman courtier, feminine of cortigiano courtier, from corte court, from Latin cohort-, cohors.