fornicate

fornicate · verb¹

1. Latin · borrowed fromfornicātus
2. English todayfornicate

First attested in 1552; borrowed from Latin fornicātus, perfect active participle of fornicor (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from fornix (“arch, vault; brothel”). It was customary for courtesans of the era to wait for their customers out of the rain in arched passageways.

fornicate · adjective²

First attested in 1828; from fornix + -ate (adjective-forming suffix).