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Pussy is an English word meaning cat. In English slang, it refers to the vulva and vagina, among other definitions. The small village of Pussy (IPA: ) is located in the commune of La Léchère in the Savoie département of France, not far from Moûtiers. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (from wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A word is a unit of language that carries meaning and consists of one or more morphemes which are linked more or less tightly together, and has a phonetical value. ... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ... Slang is the use of highly informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speakers dialect or language. ... The external genital organs of the female are collectively known as the vulva (plural vulvae, vulvas). ... The vagina, (from Latin, literally sheath or scabbard ) is the tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. ...

Etymology

The origins of the word are unknown.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) says that the word puss is common to several Germanic languages, usually as a call name for the cat — not a synonym for cat, as it is in English. The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is generally regarded as the most comprehensive and scholarly dictionary of the English language. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

The OED and Webster's Third International Dictionary point out similarities with words including:- The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is generally regarded as the most comprehensive and scholarly dictionary of the English language. ... Websters Third New International Dictionary is the most comprehensive American dictionary of English. ...

• Old Norse, pūss (pocket)
• Old Saxon pūse (vulva)
• Old English pusa (bag)

The medieval French word pucelle referred to a young adolescent girl or a virgin, although this comes from a slang term for virginity puce (= flea) rather than referring to cats (but cf. French chatte (female cat), a current vulgarism for the female pudenda). In the 17th century, the term was also used to refer to women in general. Philip Stubbs, an English pampleteer, wrote in his 1583 book "The Anatomie of Abuses" that "the word pussie is now used of a woman". Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German, is a Germanic language. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon[1], Old English: ) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Families Tungidae â€“ sticktight and chigoe fleas (chiggers) Pulicidae â€“ common fleas Coptopsyllidae Vermipsyllidae â€“ carnivore fleas Rhopalopsyllidae â€“ marsupial fleas Hypsophthalmidae Stephanocircidae Pygiopsyllidae Hystrichopsyllidae â€“ rat and mouse fleas Leptopsyllidae â€“ mouse and rat fleas Ischnopsyllidae â€“ bat fleas Ceratophyllidae:-fleas mainly associated with rodents Amphipsyllidae Malacopsyllidae Dolichopsyllidae â€“ rodent fleas Ctenopsyllidae Flea is the common name... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Philip Stubbs (Stubbes) (c. ...

It has been informally suggested in folk etymology that it is a shortened form of the word "pusillanimous" which is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "showing a lack of courage or determination" or cowardly. This meaning would seem to be consistent with the intention of the word "pussy" when used as an insult toward a man. This term, however, comes from the Latin words pusillus (petty) and animus (spirit) and is unrelated to the Germanic derivations of puss and pussy. Folk etymology or popular etymology is a linguistic term for a category of false etymology which has grown up in popular lore, as opposed to one which arose in scholarly usage. ...

Uses

Cat and similar

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, puss was used as a "call-name" for cats in both German and English, but pussy was used in English more as a synonym for "cat": compare "pussycat". In addition to cats, the word was also used for rabbits and hares as well as a humorous name for tigers. In the 19th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the meaning was extended "in childish speech, applied to anything soft and furry", as in pussy willow. In thieves' slang, it meant "fur coat". The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is generally regarded as the most comprehensive and scholarly dictionary of the English language. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. ... Jack rabbit and Jackrabbit redirect here. ... Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of tigers in 1900 (red) and 1990 (green) Synonyms Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Tigris striatus Severtzov, 1858 Tigris regalis pink, 1867 Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four big cats in the Panthera genus. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Binomial name Salix caprea The Goat Willow (Salix caprea), also known as the Pussy Willow or Great Sallow, is a common species of willow native to Europe and northwestern Africa. ... Slang is the use of highly informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speakers dialect or language. ...

To pussyfoot around the question or point means to be evasive, cautious, or conceal one's opinions. The reference is to the careful soft tread of the cat and has no vulgar implications, other than obvious ties to weakness, which "pussy" sometimes connotes.

Genitalia

The word "pussy" often refers to the female genitalia. It was not included in George Carlin's list of seven dirty words, as it can be used in the sense of kitty, and George Carlin's list was remarking upon words that can never be said on television. Used in conjunction with "some", the phrase some pussy refers to sexual intercourse itself. Most dictionaries mark the anatomical meaning as "vulgar" or "offensive" and its use is frowned upon in polite company. The human females reproductive system. ... George Dennis Carlin (born May 12, 1937 in New York, New York)[2] is a Grammy-winning Irish-American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ... The seven dirty words are seven English words comedian George Carlin listed in his monologue Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television, released in 1972 on his album Class Clown. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ...

Weakness

The meaning "weak or cowardly person" has a separate etymology. Websters 1913 Revised Unabridged Dictionary lists this version of pussy as an alternate spelling of "pursy," an otherwise obsolete English word meaning "fat and short-breathed; fat, short, and thick; swelled with pampering ..."^[1] The interpretation is often misconstrued, as it contains multiple meanings which some consider derogatory.^[2] In fact, when pussy appears in the earlier 1828 edition of the dictionary, this definition is presented for the word, while the older pursy is simply offered as a "corrupt orthography." Websters Third New International Dictionary is the most comprehensive American dictionary of English. ... Year 1828 (MDCCCXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Pursy (pronounced with a short u, and with the r slurred or silent) was in turn derived from an Old French word variously spelled pourcif, poulsif, poussif, meaning "to push, thrust, or heave." In this sense, it is cognate with the modern French verb pousser, also meaning "to push." Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories corresponding roughly to the northern half of modern France and parts of Belgium and Switzerland from around 1000 to 1300 A.D. It was known at the time as the langue doïl to distinguish it from the langue...

The word pussy can also be used in a derogatory sense to refer to a male who is not considered sufficiently masculine (see Gender role). When used in this sense, it carries the implication of being easily fatigued, weak or cowardly. A bagpiper in Scottish military clan-uniform. ...

Men dominated by women (particularly their partners or spouses and at one time referred to as 'Hen-pecked') can be referred to as pussy-whipped (or simply whipped in slightly more polite society or media).

Word-play between meanings

The Barrison Sisters lift their dresses to show a live kitten, a double entendre of "pussy".

Mrs. Slocombe in the BBC comedy Are You Being Served? She was frequently concerned with the welfare of her pussy.

The double entendre has been used for over a hundred years by performers, including the late 19th-century vaudeville act, the Barrison Sisters, who performed the notorious routine "Do You Want To See My Pussy?" (see entry for more); the Funkadelic song "Pussy", and the character Pussy Galore in the James Bond series as well as the 1983 film, Octopussy. On his album, The Gold Experience, Prince sings a song about a female protagonist named Pussy Control. The Belgian band, Lords of Acid, also has a song called Pussy, almost every line of which is a double entendre.^[3] The Barrison Sisters performing their notorious vaudeville cat dance, c. ... The Barrison Sisters performing their notorious vaudeville cat dance, c. ... The Barrison Sisters were a risque Vaudeville act who performed in the United States and Europe from about 1891 to 1900, advertised as The Wickedest Girls In the World. ... Image File history File links From BBC comedy Are You Being Served? File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links From BBC comedy Are You Being Served? File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Barrison Sisters were a risque Vaudeville act who performed in the United States and Europe from about 1891 to 1900, advertised as The Wickedest Girls In the World. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Parliament-Funkadelic. ... Pussy Galore is a fictional character from the James Bond film and novel Goldfinger. ... Flemings commissioned image of James Bond to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... Octopussy is the thirteenth James Bond film made by EON Productions. ... The Gold Experience is a (formerly known as Prince) album released in 1995. ... Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... The Gold Experience is a (formerly known as Prince) album released in 1995. ... Lords of Acid is a Belgian acid house band from the 1990s that started as a spinoff of Praga Khan with the controversial New Beat single I Sit On Acid in 1988. ...

One surprisingly risqué joke, especially for 1940, appears in the W.C. Fields movie, The Bank Dick. The bar that Fields frequently attends (tended by Shemp Howard) is called the "Black Pussy Cat", with "Black Pussy" arched over "Cat" to give it some visual separation. However, it was apparently tame enough that the Hays Office did not take action. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... W. C. Fields (January 29, 1880 - December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ... The Bank Dick (released under the title The Bank Detective in England) is a 1940 comedy film in which W. C. Fields plays a character who trips a bank robber and ends up a security guard as a result. ... Samuel Shemp Howard / (Horwitz) (March 17, 1895 – November 22, 1955) was part of the Three Stooges comedy team. ... The Production Code (also known as the Hays Code) was a set of guidelines governing the production of motion pictures. ...

Another notable usage is in the British comedy Are You Being Served?. The character Mrs. Slocombe is often heard to be concerned with the welfare of her pussy (cat), presumably unaware of the secondary meaning. This joke was also used with other cast members of the show, showing their unawareness, with lines such as "I hope this (meeting) won't take very long, it's very unfair on Mrs. Slocombe's pussy". In the episode "Calling All Customers", Mrs. Slocombe calls a lonely trucker on Mr. Humphries’ CB radio, setting up perhaps the most intricate pussy joke of the series. He (the trucker) tells her he’s hauling dynamite, and proceeds to ask her about her interests. She notes gardening, but that her pussy is her favorite hobby. She exclaims that she has a mantle full of trophies and that it wins a medal every time she shows it. Then follows the sound of screeching tires and an explosion. Mr. Humphries laments "He’s pulled off for a coffee". Are You Being Served? was a long-running British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. ... Are You Being Served? was a long-running British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. ...

The double meaning of the word was exploited in a 2005 episode of the American comedy program Arrested Development, where the word was censored if used as an insult, but not censored if used to mean sweet or gentle (as in pussycat). This also can apply to using pussy as a word for weak. On the TV series Drawn Together, the episode "Alzheimer's That Ends Well" features yet another instance of the above. In this episode, Princess Clara receives an "extreme vaginal makeover", but continually exclaims that something is wrong. In one scene, she claims it has freckles, to which Wooldoor replies, "Lots of pussies have freckles, like Ron Howard". In the South Park episode "Fun with Veal", after giving up meat temporarily, Stan Marsh discovers his body is covered in sores. The doctor informs Stan that the sores are actually tiny vaginas, and that not eating meat is turning Stan into "a giant pussy". In neither of these latter two instances is the word censored. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Censorship is the removal or withholding of information from the public by a controlling group or body. ... Drawn Together is an American animated television series on Comedy Central created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein, and first aired on October 27, 2004. ... Alzheimers That Ends Well is the twenty-first episode of the animated series Drawn Together. ... Princess Clara is a fictional character in the animated series Drawn Together. ... Wooldoor Sockbat is a fictional character in the animated series Drawn Together. ... South Park is an American, Emmy Award-winning[1] animated television comedy series about four fourth-grade school boys who live in the small town of South Park, Colorado. ... Fun with Veal is episode 605 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Most recently, there is the all-female musical band called the Pussycat Dolls. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

See also

• Profanity
• Obscenity
• Pussy Galore (disambiguation)
• Bitch and Animal, a pair of singers who sang songs including "Pussy Manifesto"

Look up Profanity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Obscenity in Latin obscenus, meaning foul, repulsive, detestable, (possibly derived from ob caenum, literally from filth). The term is most often used in a legal context to describe expressions (words, images, actions) that offend the prevalent sexual morality of the time. ... Pussy Galore is a character from the Goldfinger novel and feature film. ... Bitch and Animal, a duo consisting of two female musicians, Bitch and Animal, were a queercore band that performed from 1995 to 2004. ...

Footnotes

External links

• Don't be so beastly! by Justine Hankins. The Guardian, June 14, 2003
• Pussy This, Pussy That by Aura Bogado, 2002.
• Complete lyrics to the George Clinton song from the Motherpage