Cunt

Cunt is a vulgar term that refers to the vulva or vagina. It is, however, often used to describe a particularly nasty human being. The word is used more frequently by males, and is considered by many women (and men) to be extremely offensive.

Table of contents 1 Usage 2 History 3 Etymology 4 Related Topics 5 External Links

Usage

History

Cunt has been in use since the thirteenth century. It did not appear in any major dictionary of the English language from 1795 to 1965. Its first appearance in the Oxford English Dictionary was in 1972, which cites the word as having been in use since 1230.

Although Shakespeare doesn't use the word explicitly in his plays, he still has fun with it, using word play to sneak it in. In Act III, Scene 2, of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, as the castle's residents are settling in to watch the play-within-the-play, Hamlet asks Ophelia, "Lady, shall I lie in your lap?" Ophelia of course, replies, "No, my lord." Hamlet, feigning shock, says, "Do you think I meant country matters?" Then, to drive home the point that the accent is definitely on the first syllable of "country," Shakespeare has Hamlet say, "That's a fair thought, to lie between maids' legs."

Etymology

Related Topics

• Fuck
• Sexual slang
• Cunt, a 1999 novel by Stewart Home

External Links

• The Etymology of Sexual Slang Terms http://www.takeourword.com/pt.html
• A Cultural History of 'Cunt' http://members.lycos.co.uk/mathunt/dissertation.html