A formal, dated, and euphemistic term for a prostitute, literally 'shameful-business woman'. It is now rare and mostly found in older texts or legal/historical contexts. Modern Japanese typically uses 売春婦 or 娼婦.
The term 'shūgyōfu' was used in pre-war legal documents.
Compound of 醜業 (shūgyō, 'shameful business') + 婦 (fu, 'woman'). The exact historical origin is uncertain; it appears to be a Meiji-era coinage used in legal and bureaucratic contexts.