Meanings
alternative oldest profession in the world · alternative oldest profession
- euphemisticno pluralProstitution.
Lalun is a member of the most ancient profession in the world.
1888, Rudyard Kipling, “On the City Wall”, in In Black and White1 more example
The company was extremely mixed. There were portly foreigners, opulent Jewesses, a sprinkling of the really smart, and several ladies belonging to the oldest profession in the world.
1929, Agatha Christie, The Seven Dials Mystery
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
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.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech nejstarší řemeslo
- nejstarší řemesloeuphemism for prostitution
Danish verdens ældste erhverv
- verdens ældste erhverveuphemism for prostitution
Dutch het oudste beroep ter wereld
- het oudste beroep ter wereldeuphemism for prostitution
Estonian maailma vanim amet
- maailma vanim ameteuphemism for prostitution
Finnish maailman vanhin ammatti
- maailman vanhin ammattieuphemism for prostitution
French le plus vieux métier du monde
- le plus vieux métier du mondeeuphemism for prostitution
German das älteste Gewerbe der Welt
- das älteste Gewerbe der Welteuphemism for prostitution
Greek το αρχαιότερο επάγγελμα
- το αρχαιότερο επάγγελμα (archaiótero epángelma)euphemism for prostitution
Hebrew המקצוע העתיק ביותר בעולם
- המקצוע העתיק ביותר בעולם (hamiktsóa haatík b'yotér ba'olám)euphemism for prostitution
Icelandic elsta atvinnugreinin í heimi
- elsta atvinnugreinin í heimieuphemism for prostitution
Italian la professione più antica del mondo
- la professione più antica del mondoeuphemism for prostitution
Japanese 世界最古の職業
- 世界最古の職業 (sekai saiko no shokugyō)euphemism for prostitution
Korean 세계에서 가장 오래된 직업
- 세계에서 가장 오래된 직업 (segyeeseo gajang oraedoen jigeop)euphemism for prostitution
Latvian pasaules senākā profesija
- pasaules senākā profesijaeuphemism for prostitution
Lithuanian seniausia pasaulio profesija
- seniausia pasaulio profesijaeuphemism for prostitution
Norwegian Bokmål verdens eldste yrke
- verdens eldste yrkeeuphemism for prostitution
Polish najstarszy zawód świata
- najstarszy zawód świataeuphemism for prostitution
Portuguese a mais velha profissão do mundo
- a mais velha profissão do mundoeuphemism for prostitution
Romanian cea mai veche profesie din lume
- cea mai veche profesie din lumeeuphemism for prostitution
Russian древне́йшая профе́ссия, древне́йшее ремесло́
- древне́йшая профе́ссия (drevnéjšaja proféssija)euphemism for prostitution
- древне́йшее ремесло́ (drevnéjšeje remesló)euphemism for prostitution
Slovak najstaršie remeslo
- najstaršie remesloeuphemism for prostitution
Spanish la profesión más antigua del mundo
- la profesión más antigua del mundoeuphemism for prostitution
Swedish världens äldsta yrke
- världens äldsta yrkeeuphemism for prostitution
Turkish dünyanın en eski işi, dünyanın en eski mesleği
- dünyanın en eski işieuphemism for prostitution
- dünyanın en eski mesleğieuphemism for prostitution
Ukrainian найда́вніша профе́сія
- найда́вніша профе́сія (najdávniša profésija)euphemism for prostitution
Vietnamese gái làng chơi
- gái làng chơieuphemism for prostitution
Cite this entry
world's oldest profession. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/world's%20oldest%20profession
“world's oldest profession.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/world's%20oldest%20profession. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “world's oldest profession,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/world's%20oldest%20profession.
Source: world's oldest profession on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.