demimonde

Meaning

Noun

• A class of women maintained by wealthy protectors; female courtesans or prostitutes as a group.
• A group having little respect or reputation.
• A member of such a class or group of persons.

Origin

• Borrowed from French demi-monde, from demi + monde; possibly coined by French author and playwright Alexandre Dumas fils as the title of a comedic play, Le Demi Monde (1855): see the 1864 quotation.