geisha; professional female entertainer
A woman trained in traditional Japanese arts (dance, music, conversation) who entertains guests at banquets and parties.
I met a real geisha in Kyoto.
Geisha perform shamisen music and dance.
They called in a geisha to liven up the banquet.
She became a geisha in her teens.
芸者 is the standard word for a geisha, whereas 猫 in this sense is rare old slang not used in ordinary speech.
芸者 is the standard word for a geisha, while 玉（ぎょく）is a rare abbreviation used in specific professional contexts.
芸者 refers to a fully trained entertainer, while 舞妓 is a younger apprentice who has not yet completed her training.
counter for people
in-house geisha; geisha working on premises
female entertainer; geisha
fallen geisha; geisha who prostitutes herself
geisha who sells sex; prostitute geisha · geisha who steals from sleeping travelers
master of martial arts; practitioner of martial arts
male entertainer; male geisha
town geisha; geisha not in a red-light district
geisha house
call-office geisha; registered geisha
Standard modern spelling.
Out-dated kanji form; rarely used today.
From 芸 (gei, 'art, performance') + 者 (sha, 'person'). The term has been used since the Edo period to refer to female entertainers skilled in traditional arts.
Edo geisha