- For the village of Pussy in France, see Pussy, France
Pussy is both a vulgar word referring to the vulva and vagina (primarily in the U.S.), and a slang synonym for "cat," a permanent double entendre.
The word in the former sense normally refers almost exclusively to the aforementioned portions of the female anatomy. It is also used as a crude synonym for sexual
intercourse, as in "did you get any pussy?" It was not included in the Federal Communications Commission's list of seven prohibited profanities but most
dictionaries mark it as "vulgar" or "offensive" and its use is frowned upon in polite company. Occasionally, the word "kitty",
which is a synonym for "pussy" in the second sense of the word, is also used as a less-vulgar sounding alternative for "pussy" in
the sexual sense as well.
The word "pussy" can also be used derogatorily 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 or weak. Men "dominated by women" (particularly their partners or spouses) can be referred to as
pussy-whipped.
To pussyfoot around the question or point means to either show excessive tact when dealing with a sensitive subject
or to simply obfuscate and prevaricate to avoid a difficult situation. The reference is to the careful, soft tread of the cat and
has no vulgar implications.
The origins of the term in the vulgar sense are disputed, although Webster's Third International Dictionary traces the root to the Old Norse puss, cognate with "purse"
and also cites the Low Germanic puse meaning
"vulva" and the Scandinavian puss with the same meaning.
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". 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".
Prior to this in the 16th century it was used to refer to women in
general and it continues to be applied to old women.
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" (see below), as well as a character (Pussy Galore) and a title (Octopussy) in the James Bond series.
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.
See also: profanity, obscenity, Chocha.
External links
"Pussy" is the title of a funk song by Funkadelic, from the 1972 album America Eats Its Young, written by George Clinton, Eddie Hazel, and
Billy Bass Nelson. The song is, essentially, about lust and its
tremendous power over the singer, who is incapable of resisting his (perhaps former) lover.
Fuzzy Haskins sang lead vocals, with Frank Waddy on drums.
The song's deliberately suggestive (but oblique) lyrics such as "I'm the tomcat and you're my li'l ol' pussy" and "Wild and
warm is my pussy/ My pussy is where it's at" are common for the genre, a tradition followed in R&B.
External links
Puss in Boots is a European folktale collected by Charles Perrault. The
tale is about a cat called Puss.
|