A gigolo ( JIG-ə-loh, ZHIG-) is a male escort hired by a woman for sex or companionship. The dated usage of the term referred to a man paid by a woman to be her dancing partner.
Contents
Etymology
The word gigolo may be traced to a first usage in English as a neologism during the 1920s as a back-formation from gigolette, a French word for a woman hired as a dancing partner. Both gigolo and gigolette were first recorded in French in the mid 19th century, referring to dance club denizens in Montmartre paid to dance with, and sometimes have sex with, unaccompanied male visitors. In the late 19th century, particularly after the scandalous murder case known in Paris as the Pranzini affair, the term gigolo took on connotations of the exotic, foreign male whose company and affections could be purchased by well-to-do French women.
Social role
The term gigolo usually implies a man who adopts a lifestyle consisting of a number of such relationships serially, rather than having other means of support.
A gigolo is paid by a woman to have sex with her or to spend time with her. As a sex worker and escort, he may also accompany her to social engagements. It can also denote a younger man who is employed by an older woman in exchange for sex and companionship. The dated usage of the term referred to a man paid by a woman to be her dancing partner.
In popular culture
Films
Gigolo (1926) – American silent romance drama film produced by Cecil B. DeMille
Just a Gigolo (1931) – American romantic comedy directed by Jack Conway, starring William Haines, Irene Purcell, C. Aubrey Smith and Ray Milland
Evenings for Sale (1932) – American romantic comedy, starring Herbert Marshall, Sari Maritza, Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland
Sunset Boulevard (1950) – American film noir co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson
Female on the Beach (1955) – American crime-drama film directed by Joseph Pevney, starring Joan Crawford and Jeff Chandler
The Gigolo (1960) – French romantic drama film written and directed by Jacques Deray. It is loosely based on the novel Le Gigolo written by Jacques Robert.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) – American romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard
Just a Gigolo (1978) – West German film directed by David Hemmings and starring David Bowie
American Gigolo (1980) – American romantic crime film written and directed by Paul Schrader, and starring Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton & Hector Elizondo
Galactic Gigolo (1987) – American science-fiction comedy film directed by Gorman Bechard
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) – American sex comedy film starring Rob Schneider, followed by the 2005 sequel Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003) – American television film remake of the 1961 film of the same name. Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, it stars Helen Mirren and Brian Dennehy
Music
"I'm a Gigolo" – 1929 Broadway show tune by Cole Porter, written for the revue Wake Up and Dream
"Just a Gigolo" – adapted by Irving Caesar in 1929 from the Austrian tango "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo"; paired as a medley with "I Ain't Got Nobody" by Louis Prima in 1956
"The Gigolo" – 1966 album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan
“Gigolo Aunt” – 1970 song by Syd Barrett
"Minstrel Gigolo" – 1979 song by Christopher Cross
"Gigolo" – 1981 dance single by Mary Wells
"Gigolo" – 1982 song by Meiko Nakahara
"Gigolos Get Lonely Too" – 1983 song by The Time
"Gigolo" – 1987 single by The Damned
"Gigolo" – 1991 song by Liz Phair later rerecorded as "Can't Get Out of What I'm Into"
"American Gigolo" – 2002 song by Weezer
"Gigolo" – 2003 song by Nick Cannon featuring R. Kelly
"Gigolo" – 2006 song by Greek singer Helena Paparizou
"Buffalo Stance" – 1988 song by Neneh Cherry
"Gigolo" – 2008 song by Nicolae Guță
"gigolo" – 2025 song by bbno$
TV series
Just a Gigolo (1993) – British sitcom starring Tony Slattery
Absolutely Fabulous, TV episode "Sex", (1995) – British sitcom starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley
Hung (2009 – 2011) American comedy-drama about a high-school basketball coach who is short on cash
Gigolos (2011 – 2016) – American reality television series about the lives of five male escorts in Las Vegas
American Gigolo (2022) – Romance series starring Jon Bernthal
Novels
Hold Back the Dawn (1940) by Ketti Frings
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1950) by Tennessee Williams
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote
Le Gigolo (1959) by Jacques Robert
Cliente (2004) by Josiane Balasko