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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Term Hooker Come From and How Did the Nickname For Prostitutes Originate?

Where Did the Term Hooker Come From and How Did the Nickname For Prostitutes Originate?

April 21, 2020 by Karen Hill

It’s a myth that the camp followers of Union General Joseph Hooker gave us the popular euphemism for a prostitute.

It’s true they were called “Hooker’s division,” or “Hooker’s reserves,” but the word predates the American Civil War as, of course, does the profession.

It first appeared in 1845 as a reference to an area of New York known as “the Hook,” where ladies of the night could be found in abundance.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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