a person, in particular a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment.

売春婦, 売春する［体を売る］人

a person who misuses their talents or who sacrifices their self-respect for the sake of personal or financial gain:

e.g. careerist political prostitutes.

verb with object

offer (someone) for sexual activity in exchange for payment:

〖～ oneself〗 売春する

e.g. although she was paid $15 to join a man at his table, she never prostituted herself.

put (oneself or one's talents) to an unworthy or corrupt use or purpose for the sake of personal or financial gain:

(金のために)〈才能･技術など〉を安売りする

e.g. his willingness to prostitute himself to the worst instincts of the electorate.

prostitutor |ˈprästəˌt(y)o͞odər| noun

mid 16th century (as a verb): from Latin prostitut- ‘exposed publicly, offered for sale’, from the verb prostituere, from pro- ‘before’ + statuere ‘set up, place’.