red-light district

noun

A part of an urban area where prostitution and sex-oriented businesses are concentrated.

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Meanings

nounred-light district (plural red-light districts)

plural red-light districts · alternative red light district

  1. A part of an urban area where prostitution and sex-oriented businesses are concentrated.

    Although I was not keen on such expeditions, I was inveigled one night to join a bunch for a tour of the ‘red light district’.

    1933, Frank Clune, Try Anything Once, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 65

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
tenderloin

Origin

From red, light and district. Referring to the red lights that were used as signs for brothels.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 紅燈區 /红灯区, 風月區 /风月区
  • 紅燈區 /红灯区 (hóngdēngqū)area of prostitution
  • 風月區 /风月区 (fēngyuèqū)area of prostitution
  • 風化區 /风化区 (fēnghuàqū)area of prostitution
  • 煙花巷 /烟花巷 (yānhuāxiàng)area of prostitution
  • 花街柳巷 (huājiē liǔxiàng)area of prostitution
Dutch rosse buurt, rodelampjesbuurt
  • rosse buurtarea of prostitution
  • rodelampjesbuurtarea of prostitution
  • hoerenbuurtarea of prostitution
  • tippelzonearea of prostitution
Esperanto ruĝluma areo
  • ruĝluma areoarea of prostitution
Estonian punaste laternate kvartal
  • punaste laternate kvartalarea of prostitution
Finnish punaisten lyhtyjen alue
  • punaisten lyhtyjen aluearea of prostitution
French quartier chaud, red light
  • quartier chaudarea of prostitution
  • red lightarea of prostitution
  • quartier des putesarea of prostitution
German Rotlichtbezirk, Straßenstrich
  • Rotlichtbezirkarea of prostitution
  • Straßenstricharea of prostitution
  • Rotlichtviertelarea of prostitution
Greek συνοικία με οίκους ανοχής
  • συνοικία με οίκους ανοχής (synoikía me oíkous anochís)area of prostitution
Hungarian vörös lámpás negyed, piros lámpás negyed
  • vörös lámpás negyedarea of prostitution
  • piros lámpás negyedarea of prostitution
Icelandic vændishúshverfi
  • vændishúshverfiarea of prostitution
Indonesian lokalisasi
  • lokalisasiarea of prostitution
Italian quartiere a luci rossi
  • quartiere a luci rossiarea of prostitution
Japanese 歓楽街, 風俗街
  • 歓楽街 (kanrakugai)area of prostitution
  • 風俗街 (fūzokugai)area of prostitution
  • 遊郭 (yūkaku)area of prostitution
Korean 홍등가, 공창가
  • 홍등가 (hongdeungga)area of prostitution
  • 공창가 (gongchangga)area of prostitution
Norwegian Bokmål bordellkvarter
  • bordellkvarterarea of prostitution
Polish dzielnica czerwonych latarni
  • dzielnica czerwonych latarniarea of prostitution
Portuguese zona de meretrício
  • zona de meretrícioarea of prostitution
Russian у́лица кра́сных фонаре́й, кварта́л кра́сных фонаре́й
  • у́лица кра́сных фонаре́й (úlica krásnyx fonaréj)area of prostitution
  • кварта́л кра́сных фонаре́й (kvartál krásnyx fonaréj)area of prostitution
Scottish Gaelic ceàrn dearg
  • ceàrn deargarea of prostitution
Spanish zona roja
  • zona rojaarea of prostitution
Swedish bordellkvarter
  • bordellkvarterarea of prostitution
Ukrainian кварта́л черво́них ліхтарі́в
  • кварта́л черво́них ліхтарі́в (kvartál červónyx lixtarív)area of prostitution
Vietnamese phố đèn đỏ
  • phố đèn đỏarea of prostitution
Welsh ardal golau coch
  • ardal golau cocharea of prostitution
Cite this entry
APA

red-light district. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red-light%20district

MLA

“red-light district.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red-light%20district. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “red-light district,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red-light%20district.

Source: red-light district on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.