Meanings
plural croshabells
- obsoleteA prostitute.
1 more example
[…]in Italian called a curtezan, in Spain, a margerite, in French une curtain, in England, among the barbarous, a whore, but among the gentle, their usual associates, a punk: but now the word refined being latest, and the authority brought from a climate as yet unconquered, the fruitful county of Kent, they call them croshabell, which is a word but lately used, and fitting with their trade, being of a lovely and courteous condition.
1607, “How George Read a Play-Book to a Gentleman”, in The Jests of George Peele; republished in The Works of George Peele, 2nd edition, volume 2, London: William Pickering, 1829, page 290Synonyms: harlot, lady of the night, tweak
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA prostitute.
Origin
Blend of crouse (“lively, bold”) + belle (“attractive woman”)
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
croshabell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/croshabell
“croshabell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/croshabell. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “croshabell,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/croshabell.
Source: croshabell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.