It is the way of calling in Japan a type of cultured courtesan, educated in arts and protocol who entertained attendees at social gatherings. Although in its beginnings the geisha were men, by the nineteenth century women were already the majority, who in the West were associated with the Greek hetairas and thus confused with luxury prostitutes. These artists have almost disappeared since the end of World War II. The name geisha is the English version for Japanese 33464; 32773; ( gueiyá "artist" ) where 33464; ( guei ) means "art" and 32773; ( ya ) is "person"; and used in Spanish with the pronunciation 'gueiya'. Although as in the seventeenth century there were more men than women, originally to differentiate them the name of 22899 was used; 33464; 32773; ( onna gueiya "geisha woman" ). See geiko .