noun
employer of a geisha or prostitute; master; mistress
Archaic term for a person who financially supports and manages a geisha, prostitute, or similar entertainer, often in a patron-like role. Compare 抱え主.
See also: 抱え主
江戸時代、抱え手は芸者の生活を支えた。
In the Edo period, an employer supported the livelihood of geisha.
その遊女の抱え手は裕福
The mistress of that prostitute was a wealthy merchant.
抱え主 is a more common term for an employer or patron of a geisha or prostitute, while 抱え手 is an archaic variant with the same meaning.
Compound of 抱え (kakae, 'employing, keeping') + 手 (te, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term refers to one who 'keeps' a geisha or prostitute.