souteneur
pimp
noun soo-tuh-NUR Rare
Origin: from soutenir (to support, maintain)
Usage Note
Souteneur is the formal or legal term for a man who lives off a sex worker's earnings; colloquially proxénète and maquereau are also used. The word comes from soutenir because he 'supports' (exploits) the person; it appears mainly in legal documents and press reports.
Examples
"Le souteneur a été arrêté par la police."
Natural Translation
The pimp was arrested by the police.
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