A bordello has always been the rather politer way to say brothel. There is something a little mysterious, European, seductive and even romantic about the word.
The word bordello comes from the French bordel, which in turn comes from the old German word“Bord”, meaning “board”. The shacks made of boards in which prostitution occurred is thought to be the link there. The word “bord” was firstly transformed by the French to “borde”, then quickly became “bordel”.
More commonly now in the English speaking world a bordello is referred to as a brothel. In NSW Australia, strictly speaking , a bordello is a Licensed Brothel. Other classic terms in the pantheon include, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, house of ill repute, house of ill fame and house of prostitution.
