Standard Lemma guide

tawaif

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia: /t̪ə.ʋɑː.ɪf/
  • Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia: /t̪ə.wɑː.ɪf/
  • Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia: /t̪ə.ʋɑː.jf/
  • Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia: /t̪ə.wɑː.jf/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A professional courtesan serving the nobility, especially under the Mughal Empire; (derogatory)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia, historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

harlot, whore, prostitute

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South-Asia, derogatory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani (Hindi तवायफ़ (tavāyaf) / Urdu طَوائِف (tavāif)), in turn derived from Classical Persian طَوَائِف (tawā'if), ultimately derived from Arabic طَوائِف (ṭawāʔif).