Almeh

Almeh (Egyptian Arabic:عالمة ʕálma IPA: [ˈʕælmæ]; the peasant pronunciation is ʕálme or ʕālme, plural عوالم ʕawālim [ʕæˈwæːlem, -lɪm], from Arabic: ʻālima, from علم "to know, be learned") was the name of a class of courtesans or female entertainers in Arab Egypt, women educated to sing and recite classical poetry and to discourse wittily, connected to the qayna slave singers of pre-Islamic Arabia. They were educated girls of good social standing, trained in dancing, singing and poetry, present at festivals and entertainments, and hired as mourners at funerals.