Phrase guide

world's oldest profession

noun · 1 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Prostitution.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, no-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First appears c. 1888, coined by Rudyard Kipling as most ancient profession in the world. Alternative forms appeared in the early 1900s, present form popular by the 1930s. Similar terms with various senses (not necessarily prostitution) exist in other languages.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: հնագույն մասնագիտություն (hnaguyn masnagitutʻyun) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Azerbaijani: dünyanın ən qədim peşəsi — euphemism for prostitution
  • Czech: nejstarší řemeslo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Danish: verdens ældste erhverv — euphemism for prostitution
  • Dutch: het oudste beroep ter wereld — euphemism for prostitution
  • Estonian: maailma vanim amet — euphemism for prostitution
  • Finnish: maailman vanhin ammatti — euphemism for prostitution
  • French: le plus vieux métier du monde — euphemism for prostitution
  • Galician: o oficio máis vello do mundo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Georgian: უძველესი პროფესია (uʒvelesi ṗropesia) — euphemism for prostitution
  • German: das älteste Gewerbe der Welt — euphemism for prostitution
  • Greek: το αρχαιότερο επάγγελμα (archaiótero epángelma) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Hebrew: המקצוע העתיק ביותר בעולם (hamiktsóa haatík b'yotér ba'olám) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Icelandic: elsta atvinnugreinin í heimi — euphemism for prostitution
  • Italian: la professione più antica del mondo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Japanese: 世界最古の職業 (sekai saiko no shokugyō) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Korean: 세계에서 가장 오래된 직업 (segyeeseo gajang oraedoen jigeop) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Latvian: pasaules senākā profesija — euphemism for prostitution
  • Lithuanian: seniausia pasaulio profesija — euphemism for prostitution
  • Luxembourgish: eelste Beruff vun der Welt — euphemism for prostitution
  • Norwegian Bokmål: verdens eldste yrke — euphemism for prostitution
  • Polish: najstarszy zawód świata — euphemism for prostitution
  • Portuguese: a mais velha profissão do mundo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Romanian: cea mai veche profesie din lume — euphemism for prostitution
  • Russian: древне́йшая профе́ссия (drevnéjšaja proféssija) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Russian: древне́йшее ремесло́ (drevnéjšeje remesló) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Serbo-Croatian: најстарија професија на свету — euphemism for prostitution
  • Serbo-Croatian: najstarija profesija na svetu — euphemism for prostitution
  • Slovak: najstaršie remeslo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Slovene: najstarejši poklic — euphemism for prostitution
  • Slovene: najstarejši poklic na svetu — euphemism for prostitution
  • Spanish: la profesión más antigua del mundo — euphemism for prostitution
  • Swedish: världens äldsta yrke — euphemism for prostitution
  • Turkish: dünyanın en eski işi — euphemism for prostitution
  • Turkish: dünyanın en eski mesleği — euphemism for prostitution
  • Ukrainian: найда́вніша профе́сія (najdávniša profésija) — euphemism for prostitution
  • Vietnamese: gái làng chơi — euphemism for prostitution