# Hetaira — WHE Definition Discussion
**URL:** https://community.worldhistory.org/t/hetaira-whe-definition-discussion/6745
**Category:** WHE Articles
**Created:** [January 22, 2021, 9:58am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/hetaira-whe-definition-discussion/6745 "2021-01-22T09:58:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2021, 9:58am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/hetaira-whe-definition-discussion/6745/1 "2021-01-22T09:58:26Z")
A _hetaira_ (pl. _hetairai_) was an educated female prostitute in ancient Greece and a common participant in _symposia_ or drinking parties in private homes. Sometimes referred to in English as a courtesan, the Greek term _hetaira_ was a euphemism and meant 'companion'. Typically slaves but not always, their status could be ambiguous and is ill-defined in surviving Greek sources. Besides their more obvious abilities as prostitutes, _hetairai_ were skilled in entertaining men with their music, dancing, culture, and wit. _Hetairai_ are referenced in many forms of Greek art and literature and so are distinct from the more common brothel or street prostitute (_pornē_) who offered only physical pleasure to their clients and did so at a much lower price than the _hetairai_.
* * *
_This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at [https://www.worldhistory.org/Hetaira/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hetaira/)._
---
### Author:  [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2026, 3:10am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/hetaira-whe-definition-discussion/6745/2 "2026-07-29T03:10:23Z")