singing girl

Definitions

A young woman of low social status (often enslaved) who performs as a musician and entertainer, especially in Asian societies.

Examples

“She was a stranger in Palembang: she had fled from some one in the interior, and had lately entered the house of Tumunggung Nora Wangsa; who was patron, also, of another singing girl present⟳, called Sahdeeah.”

“The Guide⟳ to the Yoshiwara gives a list of fifty-five singing-girls, besides a host⟳ of minor stars. These women are not to be confounded with the courtesans.”

“A girl is not considered disgraced if, for her parent's sake, she sells herself into the life of a "singing girl", geisha, or plain prostitute.”

“One was a revolt of the people of Medina, who had publicly withdrawn their allegiance to Yazid, in spite of his attempts to conciliate their leaders, in reaction, we are told, to the caliph's personal unsuitability for his office—charges such as enjoyment of singing girls and playing with a pet monkey are brought against him in the tradition.”

CEFR level