Definition of "demirep"
demirep
noun
plural demireps
(colloquial, dated) A woman of doubtful reputation or suspected character; an adventuress.
Quotations
he had no knowledge of that character which is vulgarly called a demirep; that is to say, a woman who intrigues with every man she likes, under the name and appearance of virtue [...] in short, whom everybody knows to be what nobody calls her.
1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 569
[…] in short, this delightful, blissful, wise, pleasurable, honourable, virtuous, true, and immortal prince, was a violator of his word, a libertine, over head and ears in disgrace, a despiser of domestic ties, the companion of gamblers and demireps […] .
1813, Leigh Hunt, in a journal article about the prince.(Chambers, R.. "'The Book of Days': A miscellany of popular antiquities. Londres: W & R Chambers, 1832." Google Books)
[…] the greater part of our confessions (that is, spontaneous and extra-judicial confessions) proceed from demireps, adventurers, or swindlers […] .
1822, Thomas de Quincey, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater