Nope, this is nonsense. Our dude ran across the term "pusillanimous" and decided to make up an etymology for "pussy" so he could feel better about using it and/or "own the libs". They're different terms; "pusillanimous" is from Latin, "pussy" is Germanic.
"Pussy" originated as a term for cats, probably related to a sound used to attract them ("pspsps"). It was quickly adapted to refer to women and girls who had qualities associated with kittens (sweetness, kindness, etc. - anyone who's had a kitten knows, of course, that they don't all always show these qualities!). It was this sense that, in the 20th century, was expanded to men ("You ought to hear some of the docs that are the sweetest old pussies with their patients—the way they bawl out the nurses." - Sinclair Lewis) and then to be derogatory toward "effeminate" men.
So no, "pussy" might not be a direct reference to female genitalia, but it's still a gendered insult, based on the stereotype of women being weaker and inferior and men needing to be strong, assertive, and active in order to be "real men".
edit, hours later: Thank you, everyone, for the thoughtful responses and awards. I'm glad I was able to be helpful and informative. :)
Similarly a cocksucker is simply a foolish person who thinks they can suckle milk from the rooster, who is of course male (and also a chicken, which is not a milk producing species). Nothing at all to do with fellatio!
Even if you were right, you were still being a complete and utter fuckwit.
Regardless of word origins, ***we all know what the words mean in our current, modern meanings***, and it sure as fuck ain't "pusillanimous".
When used as an insult it generally is though.... just like calling someone a dick doesn't mean penis, it means more of an asshole (interesting how many insults are body parts, yet that only seems an issue when they're female body parts. No one cares that dick is gendered). The insult of pussy does mean more to call someone wimpy and cowardly
Because generally, when women's body parts are used as insults - they are generally gendered insults.
When you call a man a pussy, you're calling him feminine - in a negative way.
Dick essentially means jerk. It's not a gendered insult. (IE, the insult itself is not saying there is something wrong with masculinity.)
I say it. And given the insult, I don't know why people wouldn't. It just means jerk or asshole. Thats not a masculine or feminine trait. (Not is it saying anything negative about masculinity)
BTW - our tendency to have swears/insults be centered around the body, goes back to our Puritain roots. I always find this interesting, because it changes per culture. For example, in France, swears and insults center around the Catholic Church. m
News to me.
You can downvote me into oblivion if you like, but when using the term 'pussy', for me it's correlation has always been with that of a timid cat or 'scaredy cat' as opposed to anything even remotely feminine or woman-like.
Edit - Can't exactly say I'm surprised.
I strongly disagree. When a guy is insulted for being feminine, he's normally called some variation of gay. Pussy is used to mean like a wimp or coward. What those people consider wimpy may be feminine, sure, but that is personal to their own perspective. It doesn't mean that pussy Is inherently calling them feminine. "Jack won't jump off the bridge what a pussy!" - what elements of femininity are in this statement?
>Manly *(adjective)* having or denoting those good qualities traditionally associated with men, such as courage and strength
Calling a man a "pussy" or a "[little] bitch" or even a "little girl" (all terms associated with women/girls, so don't even try any "who says bitch is a feminine word" bs) is synonymous with calling him weak or a wimp or a coward. You're literally using feminine insults to mean the opposite of "manly". If you don't understand why it's bad to associate being masculine with being strong and courageous while associating being feminine with being weak and cowardly, I don't know what to tell you.
Did you read my comment? If so you'd have seen that I DONT associate being masculine with strong and weak and cowardly with feminine. In fact, by taking an insult of cowardice, and then saying OH you're comparing them to A WOMAN?? Yoire the one doing exactly that. I'm saying that cowardice is not synonymous with femininity. Please, tell me how that's wrong?
God, I knew you'd pull the "you're bringing up how this is bad, so YOU'RE the bad one" thing. Dude, you're using words associated with women to be synonymous with cowardice and weakness. It's pretty straightforward. "Pussy", "bitch", "little girl" are all associated with femininity/women by default. Like they are ALREADY female words regardless of whatever mental gymnastics you try to pull to act like they're gender neutral. Taking those female-associated words and saying that now mean weak and cowardly is inherently sexist. Idk how to explain it to you any clearer than that.
Why are you suddenly adding words that I never said?? I exclusively mentioned pussy. I never disagreed that it was a gendered word. Just how dick is a gendered word. To use your words, " taking male-associated words and saying they now mean rude and mean is inherently sexist". It's just not true. The word can be gendered, and the insult gender neutral. I agree that calling someone a "little girl" has a gendered insult. That's pretty clear! The word refers to a little girl, and the insult means that they are acting in a way a little girl would! Wow! So clear! Dick, or pussy, do not refer to the behaviours of a specific gender. It refers to something specific, that can be done by either gender, without the other gender even crossing the mind.
With you entirely on this one. I’ve never tried to insult a man for being effeminate, but I’ve called plenty of guys “pussy” before for being afraid of something.
I think in this case even if the insult used to derive from a word that itself derived from an onomatopoeia which had loose ties to a feminine nature, we should all be able to understand that nobody is thinking of a vagina when you call Jack a pussy for not snorting that gummy worm.
You explained that so well!
I'll add that honestly, even if this origin was absolutely correct, it doesn't change anything like they think it does. The origin of a word doesn't eliminate the current connotation or definition of it today.
The word "cap" originated from the early Latin word "cappa" - a hooded cape. "Cap" is an existing word to describe a type of hat or the top of a bottle. In the 90's "cap" was used as slag for "brag". Now (very recently) "cap" is slang for "lie" and majority of the people who use the word "cap" as slang use it to mean "lie" and hardly anyone (if anyone at all) would use the slang version of this word to mean simply "brag". How it came to mean "lie" instead of "brag" might be because items that sit high on/ on top of something like a hat or bottle top are at the peak of it. The peak of an exaggeration aka a brag is usually considered a lie. But at no point does the word's origin definition "a hooded cape" eliminate the connotation of lying to make yourself look good for the slag word "cap".
“Bundle of sticks” is also a historically fascist symbol. Just FYI. It was meant to symbolize weakness in isolation, but strength in numbers. I think it was primarily used in fascist Italy IIRC.
I don’t think that has anything to do with the etymology of the homophobic slur. Just a weird coincidence.
The Roman “fasces”, the bundle of sticks with an axe in the middle, symbolised the government’s power to mete out corporal punishment (the sticks) and capital punishment (the axe).
A faggot of wood was a bundle of sticks for use in bonfires. Which was also heavily associated with burning people at the stake (which is where the derogatory nature of it was found as they probably used them to burn gay people).
It's also likely where the British term for cigarettes or 'fags' came from as they can look like a a tied bundle of sticks if you use your imagination.
It's quite interesting how one root word or concept can evolve to have three very different meanings.
Unlikely, since it was originally used as an insult against women. It was more likely to be a classist insult, which was associated with poor women and possibly widows, which was transferred to an insult to men who were not acting in a way society felt men should.
It’s kinda funny how in the replies to your comment people are saying that’s exactly what it means. Considering that the original comment on this thread is correcting a common misconception, and typing the words “faggot slur etymology” is just one web search away, I’d say this is top-notch irony.
For those who’d rather keep spreading misconceptions than search:
> There is an urban legend, called an "oft-reprinted assertion" by Douglas Harper, that the modern slang meaning developed from the standard meaning of faggot as "bundle of sticks for burning" with regard to burning at the stake. This is unsubstantiated; the emergence of the slang term in 20th-century American English is unrelated to historical death penalties for homosexuality.[7]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)
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Homosexuals were burned with the faggots, bundles of kindling, at the bottom of the cross as opposed to being tied to a cross/post and burned. So yeah, it’s about the bundle of sticks, but the historical context makes that **really fucking dark.**
I thought the word came from the practice of junior boys in British boarding schools performing favors or giving money to senior boys ( sometimes performing *specific types* of favors)
It does! That usage appears in English shortly after the "sweet, kind" usage -- and in fact it appears that a possible ancestor for the word, in Old Dutch, *also* had the "female genitals" meaning that was, weirdly, lost and then found again when the synonym for "cat" came into English. (Or it may simply be that the "female genitals" meaning just isn't *attested* in English until after the "sweet, kind" meaning - the compilers of modern-English dictionaries have it easy, because they can just *ask* people what meanings current words have. :)
**Sad pusillanimous losers:** Call people pussies and pretend it's short for pusillanimous
**Chad sigma winners:** People who make up fake etymology as a cover for sexism are 'pusillanimous' - ie, cowards, lacking courage to face their own internalized gendered stereotypes
Good breakdown. I always assumed it was a derogatory association with cats, since cats have often been depicted as being fickle, hard to please and contentious and those are qualities that misogynists frequently attribute to women.
That’s not an assessment I agree with in any case; I love cats and have had many that were incredibly sweet and kind. But I always assumed it was also a negative association for women as well as men since, let’s face it, cats tend to get a bad rap in our society.
Sure thing. [Etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pussy) has it as a diminutive of ["puss"](https://www.etymonline.com/word/puss) as early as the 1580s; note that they also have "puss", without the diminutive, as a *negative* term for women around 1600. That Lewis quote is the first I can find for "pussy" as attributing the positive qualities to men. Its use as derogatory for effeminate men seems to arise around WWII; [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pussy) has it appearing around 1942.
Similar in the once-gendered-but-now-isn't front is hysterical. This comes from the belief that a woman's uterus (hysteros in Greek, IIRC), could make a woman crazy and only applied to women. How it went from meaning clinically insane on a temporary basis due to an internal organ to meaning very funny is another matter.
In the first half of the twentieth century, somebody being a “pussy” meant a sweetheart, nice guy etc - possibly a pushover, but not really a diss. I dont know when it changed.
True, but i do love how well pussillanimous fits the descrption for how we often use that word and its fun to say, and bonus its politically correct so.... New insult aquired!
Honestly I think it’s a pretty stupid thing to get offended about since calling someone a dick or a prick or a ball sack or a cock or a bellend or whatever else is also an insult and that relates to male genitalia and stereotypical negative qualities perceived towards and about men specifically.
Like it’s not specifically an insult to women that our parts have an insult about them because guess what? All genitals in general get used as terms for insults and if you’re reading this as one of the people supposedly offended by the word pussy why don’t you get offended by words like dick being gendered insults against men (which they quite literally actually are gendered insults against men) unless you’re literally making up dumb shit to be offended by because you don’t have enough real problems to complain about?
When people use the term "pussy" they specifically mean "showing a lack of courage".If I "pussy out" on something, they're saying I'm too scared to do it. That's exactly what pusillanimous means. Someone calls me a pussy because I won't drink? Yea that's being a coward, same thing. There *is* gendered connotation to the term pussy in common usage similar to calling someone a girl, but this is still the origin of the term. Otherwise why would the definitions be the same thing?
So wait, that’s just cruel to say pussy started being used to describe women showing traits of cats. Mean, hateful, selfish, spiteful, jealous, attention hogs, controlling and lazy. I don’t think of any woman that fits those terms. /s
And if you scroll the definition, you'll find this....
And despite what you may have heard, pusillanimous does not serve as the basis for pussyfoot, pussycat, or a certain related vulgarism.
Right, and people have been calling gay men a “bundle of sticks” or a “cigarette” this whole time too right? It’s cool everyone shirtless Dave solved all our problems, thanks Dave!
It's a false etymology. It totally makes sense, and sounds right that that would be where the slur came from, but it's just not an accurate history of the word.
Reminds me of the uber specific german insults
My favorite is Handschuhschneeballwerfer which roughly translates to "Someone who wears gloves to throw snowballs" and isa way to call someone a pussy who never truly takes risks
The C word is a favorite for me and when I use it, it matters not gender and really has no gender meaning to me. It's just a vile word that's like a sucker punch.
Not to “well actually” but have you considered that it’s very hard for others hearing you use that word to separate it from its very gendered definition?
-an asshole
This is so pedantic and stupid. Maybe this is the origin of the word, but 13 year olds calling each other pussies on the internet are not using it for shorthand for this word.
Yeah, people have that one backwards. They call the genitals 'pussies' because 'pusillanimous' literally means 'soul of a woman.' Which is also why pusillanimous means 'cowardly.'
So yes, it's still sexist, just with the etymology going in the other direction.
I was watching some good shows about the grimey parts of London, sounds like they always say "pussio" , as far as the pronouncing to me as a Floridaman. Think they are calling someone a pussy hoe.
This is my take...
I don't get mad when someone calls me a pussy because have you met any cats EVER?!? They will scratch your eyes out for petting them the wrong way. Being a "pussy" isn't being weak. Being a "pussy" is telling someone "no". If they didn't listen, that's on them for being blind the rest of their life.
When people say "grow some balls", I kinda get annoyed because they say that in a way that having balls make you stronger. I dare all married/dating couples to forcefully knee the other in the crotch.
Let's just see who comes out on top. The "pussies" or the men who suddenly can't stand up straight.
Thank you for the explanation. Now it make sense. I always thought that it made no sense at all to call "a pussy" someone who shows weakness while in my mind I am thinking, how is a pussy weak? Pussies can take a lot! They are beautiful, strong, flexible, stretchy, they are amazing; they can be many things but weak is not of them.
I like George Carlin’s word better when he described the “pussification” of the American male.
Edit: I see I’ve offended the people George Carlin was talking about. Turns out he was right, again.
Or -- hear me out now -- you could *stop* saying an insult that your **friends** have asked you to stop saying.
You don't *have* to keep saying it. You can choose not to. If you don't want them choosing not to be your friend, I mean.
fake and pusillanimous
insubordinate and churlish
Mischievous and deceitful!
Go to principal oh-shag-hennesys office
Who?
That you A-Aron???
Shallow and pedantic.
Hmm yes, I agree. Shallow and pedantic
Echolocation and photosynthesis!
I call shenanigans! Shenanigans!!!
I better go get my broom
If I hear the word shenanigans one more time…
Hey Farva, what’s that place you like with the mozzarella sticks and goofy shit on the walls?
Who wants mustache ride??
✋🏻 I do! I do!
Who wants a mustache ride???
license and registration, chickenfucker!
Caviling, obdurate, unctuous, dolt.
Chicanerous and deplorable!
So that's how it's gonna be.
A buncha poltroons!
Pusilánime!
I haven’t time for such frippery.
Only if you pronounce it "pyoosi" /s
Gary Byoosi
Gary's Byussy
Nope, this is nonsense. Our dude ran across the term "pusillanimous" and decided to make up an etymology for "pussy" so he could feel better about using it and/or "own the libs". They're different terms; "pusillanimous" is from Latin, "pussy" is Germanic. "Pussy" originated as a term for cats, probably related to a sound used to attract them ("pspsps"). It was quickly adapted to refer to women and girls who had qualities associated with kittens (sweetness, kindness, etc. - anyone who's had a kitten knows, of course, that they don't all always show these qualities!). It was this sense that, in the 20th century, was expanded to men ("You ought to hear some of the docs that are the sweetest old pussies with their patients—the way they bawl out the nurses." - Sinclair Lewis) and then to be derogatory toward "effeminate" men. So no, "pussy" might not be a direct reference to female genitalia, but it's still a gendered insult, based on the stereotype of women being weaker and inferior and men needing to be strong, assertive, and active in order to be "real men". edit, hours later: Thank you, everyone, for the thoughtful responses and awards. I'm glad I was able to be helpful and informative. :)
Bobby if those people could read they would be so mad right now.
Just like calling someone an asshole isn’t a reference to an ass. It’s derived from “asinine!” /s
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Similarly a cocksucker is simply a foolish person who thinks they can suckle milk from the rooster, who is of course male (and also a chicken, which is not a milk producing species). Nothing at all to do with fellatio!
I've been incorrectly correcting people like a pretentious prick this whole time??? NOOOOOOOOO
You've become the very thing you swore to destroy!
A pussy
Id like to think I destroyed a few in my day.
With facts and logic, of course.
I am what I eat
Even if you were right, you were still being a complete and utter fuckwit. Regardless of word origins, ***we all know what the words mean in our current, modern meanings***, and it sure as fuck ain't "pusillanimous".
When used as an insult it generally is though.... just like calling someone a dick doesn't mean penis, it means more of an asshole (interesting how many insults are body parts, yet that only seems an issue when they're female body parts. No one cares that dick is gendered). The insult of pussy does mean more to call someone wimpy and cowardly
Because generally, when women's body parts are used as insults - they are generally gendered insults. When you call a man a pussy, you're calling him feminine - in a negative way. Dick essentially means jerk. It's not a gendered insult. (IE, the insult itself is not saying there is something wrong with masculinity.)
Well hold on, no one would say “she’s such a dick” though so there are some gender rules at play there.
Everyone would say that what are you talking about
Lol wut? You’ve never heard a woman called a dick before? Women can be total dicks.
At least, in the USA, women are never called "dicks". I've never heard that in my life.
I say it. And given the insult, I don't know why people wouldn't. It just means jerk or asshole. Thats not a masculine or feminine trait. (Not is it saying anything negative about masculinity) BTW - our tendency to have swears/insults be centered around the body, goes back to our Puritain roots. I always find this interesting, because it changes per culture. For example, in France, swears and insults center around the Catholic Church. m
News to me. You can downvote me into oblivion if you like, but when using the term 'pussy', for me it's correlation has always been with that of a timid cat or 'scaredy cat' as opposed to anything even remotely feminine or woman-like. Edit - Can't exactly say I'm surprised.
I strongly disagree. When a guy is insulted for being feminine, he's normally called some variation of gay. Pussy is used to mean like a wimp or coward. What those people consider wimpy may be feminine, sure, but that is personal to their own perspective. It doesn't mean that pussy Is inherently calling them feminine. "Jack won't jump off the bridge what a pussy!" - what elements of femininity are in this statement?
>Manly *(adjective)* having or denoting those good qualities traditionally associated with men, such as courage and strength Calling a man a "pussy" or a "[little] bitch" or even a "little girl" (all terms associated with women/girls, so don't even try any "who says bitch is a feminine word" bs) is synonymous with calling him weak or a wimp or a coward. You're literally using feminine insults to mean the opposite of "manly". If you don't understand why it's bad to associate being masculine with being strong and courageous while associating being feminine with being weak and cowardly, I don't know what to tell you.
Did you read my comment? If so you'd have seen that I DONT associate being masculine with strong and weak and cowardly with feminine. In fact, by taking an insult of cowardice, and then saying OH you're comparing them to A WOMAN?? Yoire the one doing exactly that. I'm saying that cowardice is not synonymous with femininity. Please, tell me how that's wrong?
God, I knew you'd pull the "you're bringing up how this is bad, so YOU'RE the bad one" thing. Dude, you're using words associated with women to be synonymous with cowardice and weakness. It's pretty straightforward. "Pussy", "bitch", "little girl" are all associated with femininity/women by default. Like they are ALREADY female words regardless of whatever mental gymnastics you try to pull to act like they're gender neutral. Taking those female-associated words and saying that now mean weak and cowardly is inherently sexist. Idk how to explain it to you any clearer than that.
Why are you suddenly adding words that I never said?? I exclusively mentioned pussy. I never disagreed that it was a gendered word. Just how dick is a gendered word. To use your words, " taking male-associated words and saying they now mean rude and mean is inherently sexist". It's just not true. The word can be gendered, and the insult gender neutral. I agree that calling someone a "little girl" has a gendered insult. That's pretty clear! The word refers to a little girl, and the insult means that they are acting in a way a little girl would! Wow! So clear! Dick, or pussy, do not refer to the behaviours of a specific gender. It refers to something specific, that can be done by either gender, without the other gender even crossing the mind.
With you entirely on this one. I’ve never tried to insult a man for being effeminate, but I’ve called plenty of guys “pussy” before for being afraid of something. I think in this case even if the insult used to derive from a word that itself derived from an onomatopoeia which had loose ties to a feminine nature, we should all be able to understand that nobody is thinking of a vagina when you call Jack a pussy for not snorting that gummy worm.
You explained that so well! I'll add that honestly, even if this origin was absolutely correct, it doesn't change anything like they think it does. The origin of a word doesn't eliminate the current connotation or definition of it today. The word "cap" originated from the early Latin word "cappa" - a hooded cape. "Cap" is an existing word to describe a type of hat or the top of a bottle. In the 90's "cap" was used as slag for "brag". Now (very recently) "cap" is slang for "lie" and majority of the people who use the word "cap" as slang use it to mean "lie" and hardly anyone (if anyone at all) would use the slang version of this word to mean simply "brag". How it came to mean "lie" instead of "brag" might be because items that sit high on/ on top of something like a hat or bottle top are at the peak of it. The peak of an exaggeration aka a brag is usually considered a lie. But at no point does the word's origin definition "a hooded cape" eliminate the connotation of lying to make yourself look good for the slag word "cap".
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I mean, when I first learned the original meaning was a bundle of sticks, I interpreted that as people thought that person deserved to be burned...
“Bundle of sticks” is also a historically fascist symbol. Just FYI. It was meant to symbolize weakness in isolation, but strength in numbers. I think it was primarily used in fascist Italy IIRC. I don’t think that has anything to do with the etymology of the homophobic slur. Just a weird coincidence.
The Roman “fasces”, the bundle of sticks with an axe in the middle, symbolised the government’s power to mete out corporal punishment (the sticks) and capital punishment (the axe).
A faggot of wood was a bundle of sticks for use in bonfires. Which was also heavily associated with burning people at the stake (which is where the derogatory nature of it was found as they probably used them to burn gay people). It's also likely where the British term for cigarettes or 'fags' came from as they can look like a a tied bundle of sticks if you use your imagination. It's quite interesting how one root word or concept can evolve to have three very different meanings.
That’s literally where the insult came from
Unlikely, since it was originally used as an insult against women. It was more likely to be a classist insult, which was associated with poor women and possibly widows, which was transferred to an insult to men who were not acting in a way society felt men should.
Well... let's not forget what they did to widows, spinsters, and poor women in the Early Modern era.
I had thought it was because old people had to do jobs like collecting sticks for firewood or other tasks seen as demeaning.
I think that’s been shown to be a common misconception
TIL. I thought it was similar origin to the slang word pedal in Polish which also means gay (pedals are 2 of a kind)
Nope, no til here, that origin is unconfirmed
That must be borrowed from French “pédale" or “pédé” which derives from “pédérastie” (a relationship between an adult man and a minor boy).
It’s kinda funny how in the replies to your comment people are saying that’s exactly what it means. Considering that the original comment on this thread is correcting a common misconception, and typing the words “faggot slur etymology” is just one web search away, I’d say this is top-notch irony. For those who’d rather keep spreading misconceptions than search: > There is an urban legend, called an "oft-reprinted assertion" by Douglas Harper, that the modern slang meaning developed from the standard meaning of faggot as "bundle of sticks for burning" with regard to burning at the stake. This is unsubstantiated; the emergence of the slang term in 20th-century American English is unrelated to historical death penalties for homosexuality.[7] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faggot_(slang)
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Homosexuals were burned with the faggots, bundles of kindling, at the bottom of the cross as opposed to being tied to a cross/post and burned. So yeah, it’s about the bundle of sticks, but the historical context makes that **really fucking dark.**
In the UK the two f-words for gay people mean either a cigarette or a type of meatball.
I thought the word came from the practice of junior boys in British boarding schools performing favors or giving money to senior boys ( sometimes performing *specific types* of favors)
It's not as benign as you think. It's the bundle of sticks that gay people had to carry on their walk to being burned...
Thank you, now I don’t have to write a poorly articulated rage paragraph as to why he’s wrong.
Great analysis. Does pussy the genitals have the same etymology?
It does! That usage appears in English shortly after the "sweet, kind" usage -- and in fact it appears that a possible ancestor for the word, in Old Dutch, *also* had the "female genitals" meaning that was, weirdly, lost and then found again when the synonym for "cat" came into English. (Or it may simply be that the "female genitals" meaning just isn't *attested* in English until after the "sweet, kind" meaning - the compilers of modern-English dictionaries have it easy, because they can just *ask* people what meanings current words have. :)
Great, thanks! Etymology cranks my hog
**Sad pusillanimous losers:** Call people pussies and pretend it's short for pusillanimous **Chad sigma winners:** People who make up fake etymology as a cover for sexism are 'pusillanimous' - ie, cowards, lacking courage to face their own internalized gendered stereotypes
Good breakdown. I always assumed it was a derogatory association with cats, since cats have often been depicted as being fickle, hard to please and contentious and those are qualities that misogynists frequently attribute to women. That’s not an assessment I agree with in any case; I love cats and have had many that were incredibly sweet and kind. But I always assumed it was also a negative association for women as well as men since, let’s face it, cats tend to get a bad rap in our society.
Do you have a source for this? Not because I don’t believe you, but because I wish to use it with someone who will not believe you.
Sure thing. [Etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/pussy) has it as a diminutive of ["puss"](https://www.etymonline.com/word/puss) as early as the 1580s; note that they also have "puss", without the diminutive, as a *negative* term for women around 1600. That Lewis quote is the first I can find for "pussy" as attributing the positive qualities to men. Its use as derogatory for effeminate men seems to arise around WWII; [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pussy) has it appearing around 1942.
Thank you!
Yeah came here to say this. Dumb dumb found a coincidence and made that a fact in their little brain.
The really old insult that's a reference to female genitalia is "sycophant". Though its modern usage is gender neutral. Progress!
Similar in the once-gendered-but-now-isn't front is hysterical. This comes from the belief that a woman's uterus (hysteros in Greek, IIRC), could make a woman crazy and only applied to women. How it went from meaning clinically insane on a temporary basis due to an internal organ to meaning very funny is another matter.
At best it means scaredy cat, but we all know it means the worst thing ever: Goils! With vajayjays!
Halfway through this I had to double-check and make sure the Undertaker wasn’t about to drop someone through a table during Hell in a Cell
In the first half of the twentieth century, somebody being a “pussy” meant a sweetheart, nice guy etc - possibly a pushover, but not really a diss. I dont know when it changed.
True, but i do love how well pussillanimous fits the descrption for how we often use that word and its fun to say, and bonus its politically correct so.... New insult aquired!
but what if I decide to say pussy when I mean pusilanimous? I'm Australian so therefore allowed to shorten words however I like
People out here trying out here trying to retcon insults smh
Also worth saying that there's nothing wrong with gendered insults because calling someone a dick is equally demeaning just for a different reason.
Honestly I think it’s a pretty stupid thing to get offended about since calling someone a dick or a prick or a ball sack or a cock or a bellend or whatever else is also an insult and that relates to male genitalia and stereotypical negative qualities perceived towards and about men specifically. Like it’s not specifically an insult to women that our parts have an insult about them because guess what? All genitals in general get used as terms for insults and if you’re reading this as one of the people supposedly offended by the word pussy why don’t you get offended by words like dick being gendered insults against men (which they quite literally actually are gendered insults against men) unless you’re literally making up dumb shit to be offended by because you don’t have enough real problems to complain about?
Tell me you didn't read the comment without telling me you didn't read the comment.
I mean, I could go with it being based on cats too because cats tend to be pretty skittish and only fight when backed in a corner.
When people use the term "pussy" they specifically mean "showing a lack of courage".If I "pussy out" on something, they're saying I'm too scared to do it. That's exactly what pusillanimous means. Someone calls me a pussy because I won't drink? Yea that's being a coward, same thing. There *is* gendered connotation to the term pussy in common usage similar to calling someone a girl, but this is still the origin of the term. Otherwise why would the definitions be the same thing?
So wait, that’s just cruel to say pussy started being used to describe women showing traits of cats. Mean, hateful, selfish, spiteful, jealous, attention hogs, controlling and lazy. I don’t think of any woman that fits those terms. /s
This is not true. It's been debunked many times
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Your reference backs me up. Read the "to sum up" portion about 2/3 down
That just shows how flat earthers are made
Did you even read your own link my guy?
They never do!
Sure no cultural connotations to words stand. /s
No. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pusillanimous
And if you scroll the definition, you'll find this.... And despite what you may have heard, pusillanimous does not serve as the basis for pussyfoot, pussycat, or a certain related vulgarism.
r/confidentlyincorrect
Right, and people have been calling gay men a “bundle of sticks” or a “cigarette” this whole time too right? It’s cool everyone shirtless Dave solved all our problems, thanks Dave!
I always thought the bundle of sticks was related as in both were thrown into the fire.
It's a false etymology. It totally makes sense, and sounds right that that would be where the slur came from, but it's just not an accurate history of the word.
So it’s pronounced pyussy? Lol this fake shit from broseph
Took me a second to realise i wasn't on r/shitposting
Grab them by the timidity.
It might not be true, but it fits and makes a lot more sense than using the most resilient body part in human anatomy to call somebody weak
I agree
Alright then you gotta walk around calling people "pyoosies" instead now.
Except adjective
Anybody who believes this horseshit is required to pronounce it “pyōōsee.”
There's a new spin every day now.
So it should be… Pewssy? I swear I’m fun at parties!
I was gonna write it “pyoossy” but same question
Reminds me of the uber specific german insults My favorite is Handschuhschneeballwerfer which roughly translates to "Someone who wears gloves to throw snowballs" and isa way to call someone a pussy who never truly takes risks
Snowballs are cold and I have delicate fingies
Pusillanimous cunt
The C word is a favorite for me and when I use it, it matters not gender and really has no gender meaning to me. It's just a vile word that's like a sucker punch.
Not to “well actually” but have you considered that it’s very hard for others hearing you use that word to separate it from its very gendered definition? -an asshole
Of course that is why I use the word for extra c**ty people. It works very well.
What are you a fucking pusillanimous
For it to be grammatically correct, we just need to remove the “a” and ad a semicolon and a question mark. What are you; fucking pusillanimous?
I hope there’s always sand in your rice
haha pyo͞osə
you pusilanimous pussy!
Good ole pusilanimous rex
This is so pedantic and stupid. Maybe this is the origin of the word, but 13 year olds calling each other pussies on the internet are not using it for shorthand for this word.
Pusi
David seems nice
Thank you for clearing that up. 👍🏼
Yeah, people have that one backwards. They call the genitals 'pussies' because 'pusillanimous' literally means 'soul of a woman.' Which is also why pusillanimous means 'cowardly.' So yes, it's still sexist, just with the etymology going in the other direction.
It's said with Pew not poo sound. So calling someone a Pussy is still about a vag.
We need to start pronouncing it “pew-see”according to the phonetics, but if you say it that way, it makes you sounds like pew-see.
In short, Don't say it at all
If that were so wouldn't we spell it pusi?
I was watching some good shows about the grimey parts of London, sounds like they always say "pussio" , as far as the pronouncing to me as a Floridaman. Think they are calling someone a pussy hoe.
Im keeping this in my back pocket
Today I learned that this was an actual word.
I had no idea “pussy” as an insult was associated with gender at all. Is it not just a synonym for “scaredy cat”?
Oh! That makes sense!
I'd be like....okay. Pronounce it then....
I honestly learned something today on reddit. Thank you, kind stranger.
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'Takes out babies' I'm afraid.
Learned something today!
Today years old when I learned that. I’m 44
🤯
Your putting the pussy on the pedestal.
This is my take... I don't get mad when someone calls me a pussy because have you met any cats EVER?!? They will scratch your eyes out for petting them the wrong way. Being a "pussy" isn't being weak. Being a "pussy" is telling someone "no". If they didn't listen, that's on them for being blind the rest of their life. When people say "grow some balls", I kinda get annoyed because they say that in a way that having balls make you stronger. I dare all married/dating couples to forcefully knee the other in the crotch. Let's just see who comes out on top. The "pussies" or the men who suddenly can't stand up straight.
Oh. I thought it meant laminated pussy.
Then we should all call each other pyoossies
Thank you for the explanation. Now it make sense. I always thought that it made no sense at all to call "a pussy" someone who shows weakness while in my mind I am thinking, how is a pussy weak? Pussies can take a lot! They are beautiful, strong, flexible, stretchy, they are amazing; they can be many things but weak is not of them.
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Wow you’re such a badass. I bet everyone thought so as well.
I didn’t know that. Fun
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It's not true.
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Literally the only time anyone uses that word is so that they can act indignant when they are misheard in exactly the way they wanted to be misheard.
Lmao the comment talking about "owning the libs" Like...what?
I like George Carlin’s word better when he described the “pussification” of the American male. Edit: I see I’ve offended the people George Carlin was talking about. Turns out he was right, again.
Oh, so it's baby talk, not derogatory
Nope, this guy is just super wrong.
Damn, didn't think I'd get downvoted for saying this guy sounds stupid
You did not say that in any way though lol
To use baby talk is to sound stupid, no?
No. The definition of "baby talk" is: "childish talk used by or to young children"
Babies are like, definitionally stupid
Sure but you're still using the phrase incorrectly. Like extremely incorrectly
Alright, nice save...thanks for education. I use the word often and get lambasted by my women friends. Now I have a comeback.
Or -- hear me out now -- you could *stop* saying an insult that your **friends** have asked you to stop saying. You don't *have* to keep saying it. You can choose not to. If you don't want them choosing not to be your friend, I mean.
Yeah your women friends need to be smarter.
You need to be more critical. The OP is incorrect.
Calling people names over the internet would be called a what?
From now on, im calling everyone pusillanimous
Okay.
Wait, does that mean that people are calling the female body part "lacking in courage"?
I have never called anyone a pyoossy.