demimonde

dem·i·monde  (dm-mnd)

n.

1.

a. A class of women kept by wealthy lovers or protectors.

b. Women prostitutes considered as a group.

2. A group whose respectability is dubious or whose success is marginal: the literary demimonde of ghost writers, hacks, and publicists. Also called demiworld.

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[French demi-monde : demi-, demi- + monde, world (from Latin mundus).]

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demimonde

Noun

1. (esp. in the 19th century) a class of women considered to be outside respectable society because of promiscuity

2. any group considered not wholly respectable [French: half-world]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

demimonde - a class of woman not considered respectable because of indiscreet or promiscuous behavior social class, socio-economic class, stratum, class - people having the same social, economic, or educational status; "the working class"; "an emerging professional class" demimondaine - a woman whose sexual promiscuity places her outside respectable society