Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a prostitute.

1598		Marston Metamorphosis of Pigmalions Satyre I 23: Crowne my head with Bayes, Which like a Paphian, wantonly displayes The Salaminian titillations, Which tickle vp our leud Priapians .
1827		P. Cunningham New South Wales II 277: Accosting gentlemen [...] whom she saw chirping in the streets to the Paphians.
1838		Crim.-Con. Gaz 1 Sept. 18/3: A key that insures / Your way through the doors / Which lead to thy Paphian’s heav’n.
1846		Bell’s Life in Sydney 26 Sept. 4/1: The [...] Paphian attracted the stares of a [...] mob.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 35: The list of cyprian votaries differs in some degree from the Cockney Paphians.
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) V 992: I met a shortish girl who seemed one of the host of Paphians.

2. attrib. use of sense 1, pertaining to a prostitute or prostitution; thus pertaining to sex.

1598		J. Sylvester Du Bartas (1605) 534: Is’t not enough, that in your soules, yee feele Your Paphian Fire? but eu’ry Brothel-Louer, T’inchaunt the wanton with his wanton stile, Must (strumpet-like) his lustfull flame discouer?
1621		J. Taylor Superbiæ Flagellum I 36: The Paphian pastime, and the Cyprian game, The sports of Venus, and the acts of shame.
1749		Sappho-An 18: But ask the Paphian nymphs, or Gnidos’ dames, / They’ll tell ye, he oft quench’d the Goddess’ flames.
1779		Mimosa: or, The Sensitive Plant 15: Who wantons in the Paphian train; / Possess’d of plant, and guineas.
1797		M. Leeson Memoirs (1995) III 143: At the very zenith of my glory, the reigning vice queen of the Paphian Goddess.
1801		Sporting Mag. Nov. XIX 97/2: The Paphian temple was situated on an obscure street.
1827		J. Wight More Mornings in Bow St. 144: The parties are Paphian nymphs of the lowest grade.
1841		Flash (NY) 3 Oct. n.p.: He used to visit the Punch Bowl [...] where the most choice of the Paphian Priestesses ere wont to resort.
1843		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 4 Feb. n.p.: He spent the night ogling a Paphian nymph in white satin.
1850		Man of Pleasure’s Illus. Pocket-book n.p.: Paphian Bowers. These houses may generally be known amongst a whole street of others by some peculiar signification, which a thoroughbred Londoner can immediately.
1879		‘Lady Pokingham’ in Pearl 5 Nov. 22: ‘How delightful,’ said Alice. ’The Duke has gone to Paris on business, and the Duchess is often indisposed; we shall find ourselves in Paphian bowers.’.
1884		Randiana 10: I do not know that, with all my experience of Papkian [sic] delicacies since, I ever have viewed any skin more closely resembling the [...] acme of cutaneous beauty.
1892		‘Lais Lovecock’ Bagnio Misc. 36: After partaking of a rich dessert [...] repaired to our Paphian Temple.
1906		‘O. Henry’ ‘Man About Town’ in Four Million (1915) 84: Paphian eyes rayed upon me, and left me unscathed.