a well-educated and independent woman, eventually a trained artist or artisan of dance and singing, especially one associated with wealthy, powerful, or upper-class society who was given luxuries and status in exchange for entertainment and companionship. In English, the word was borrowed from Italian during the 16th century through the French form courtisane, especially associated with the meaning of donna di palazzo.

A male figure comparable to the courtesan was the Italian cicisbeo,