street prostitute
Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'woman of the dark', referring to a street prostitute. Often used in a literary or euphemistic context. Compare with 夜の女 (woman of the night), which has a similar meaning.
See also: 夜の女
She had no choice but to live as a street prostitute.
Compound of 闇 (darkness) + の (possessive particle) + 女 (woman). The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a euphemistic expression for a prostitute working in the shadows or at night.