Is a four letter word meaning

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The phrase four-letter word refers to a set of English-language words written with four letters which are considered profane, including common popular or slang terms for excretory functions, sexual activity and genitalia, blasphemies, terms relating to Hell or damnation when used outside of religious contexts, or slurs. The «four-letter» claim refers to the fact that many (but not all) English «swear words» are incidentally four-character monosyllables. The term was used in this sense as early as 1886 in the United States and Great Britain.^[1]

History[edit]

Common four-letter words (in this sense) that are widely considered vulgar or offensive to a notable degree include: cunt, fuck (and regional variants such as feck, fick, fock and foak), jism (or gism), jizz, shit, slut, twat and tits. Piss (formerly an offensive swear word) in particular, however, may be used in non-excretory contexts (pissed off, i.e. «angry», in US English and British UK English; pissed, i.e. «drunk» in UK English) that are often not considered particularly offensive, and the word also occurs several times with its excretory meaning in the King James Bible. Several of these have been declared legally indecent under the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) TV and radio open-airwave broadcasting regulations.

A number of additional words of this length are upsetting to some, for religious or personal sensitivity reasons, such as: arse (UK), damn, crap, hell, piss, wang, and wank (UK). Racist, ableist, and slurs pertaining to an individual’s sexual orientation may also qualify, such as mong (in the UK not a racial slur,^{[citation needed]} but short for Mongol, or someone with Down syndrome – previously called Mongolism), gook, kike, spic, coon, dago and dyke.

Several «four-letter words» have multiple meanings (some even serving as given names), and usually only offend when used in their vulgar senses, for example:
cock,
dick,
knob,
muff,
puss,
shag (UK) and
toss (UK).
A borderline category includes words that are euphemistic evasions of «stronger» words, as well as those that happen to be short and have both an expletive sound to some listeners as well as a sexual or excretory meaning (many also have other, non-vulgar meanings):
butt (US),
crud,
darn,
dump,
heck,
poop (US),
slag (UK, NZ, AUS),
slut and
turd, as several examples.
Finally, certain four-lettered terms with limited usage can be considered offensive by some, within the regional dialect in which they are used, such as
mong and
mary.

Occasionally the phrase «four-letter word» is humorously used to describe common words composed of four letters. Typical examples include the word work, implying that work can be unpleasant, or the game of golf, jokingly referred to as a four-letter word when a player’s pastime becomes an exercise in frustration. Charlotte Observer journalist Doug Robarchek noted in 1993 how many politicians have names with four letters, «Ever notice how many U.S. politicians have names that are also four-letter words? Ford, Dole, Duke, Bush, Gore … and how many make us think of four-letter words?»^[2]

Similar euphemisms in other languages[edit]

• Chinese: The term 三字經 (lit. Three Character Classic) is used to describe swearing, as many such phrases in Chinese consist of three characters.
• Dutch: A similar tradition occurs with «three-letter words», e.g. kut («cunt»/»twat»), pik and lul («cock»/»dick»/»prick»).
• Finnish: Rude words tend to be five-letter words, like the common swear word perse meaning «arse», or paska meaning «shit». Other offensive five-letter words refer to the genital region, eg. kulli and kyrpä («cock»/»dick»/»prick»), along with pillu and vittu («twat»/»cunt»).
• French: the word merde («shit») is sometimes referred to as le mot de cinq lettres («the five-letter word»), or le mot de Cambronne. Also, profanities in French are usually called gros mots (coarse words).
• German: the phrase Setz dich auf deine vier Buchstaben! («sit down on your four letters») is mainly used speaking to children, as it refers to the word Popo, meaning «rump» in baby talk. A variant, Setz dich auf deine fünf Buchstaben! («sit down on your five letters»), alludes to the vulgar use of the word Arsch, meaning «arse» (UK) or «ass» (US).
• Latin: a common insult used to be Es vir trium litterarum, meaning «you are a man of three letters». The underlying implication was that the addressed was a fur, meaning «thief», although if challenged, the speaker could always claim he simply meant vir, that is, «man».
• Polish: the word dupa («arse»/»ass») is called cztery litery («the four letters»). Historically, also kiep, which formerly used to be a taboo word meaning «female genitals», but presently is a mild or humorous insult meaning «a fool» or a modern slang term for a cigarette. There is also a phrase Siadaj na cztery litery (sit down on your four letter), meaning sit on your arse.
• Russian: the word хуй («cock»/»dick»/»prick»), the most common obscenity, is called «the three-letter word» (russ.: «слово из трёх букв») or just «three letters» (russ.: «три буквы») and is one of the key words of the «Russian mat».

In popular culture[edit]

Generic references, not specifying the word:

• Cole Porter’s 1934 song «Anything Goes» includes the line «Good authors too who once knew better words, now only use four-letter words writing prose. Anything goes.»
• Elton John’s I’ve Seen That Movie Too from his 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road contains the phrase in the chorus.
• Cheap Trick’s 1982 album One on One finishes with a song titled «Four Letter Word».
• The Cardigans in their song «For What It’s Worth», use the «four-letter word» expression several times.
• That Four-Letter Word is a 2006 independent film from India.
• Welsh punk band Four Letter Word, formed in 1991, named themselves after the phrase.
• A Four Letter Word is also the title of a 2007 gay-themed movie starring Jesse Archer and Charlie David.
• «Four Letter Word» is also the title of a 2003 song by Def Leppard.
• American punk-rock band Gossip released a track entitled «Four Letter Word» on their 2009 album Music For Men.
• The 2007 Cold in California album by Ingram Hill includes a track entitled «Four Letter Word».
• The opening track of Beady Eye’s 2011 album Different Gear, Still Speeding is entitled «Four Letter Word».
• Echobelly on their album On (Echobelly album) included a song named: «Four Letter Word».
• Chocolate Starfish have a track called «Four Letter Word» on their eponymous album.
• The song «Irresistible» by Fall Out Boy features the line «You know I give my love a four-letter name».
• In the 2019 BBC-HBO mini-series Years and Years written by Russell T Davies, after controversialist businesswoman Vivienne Rook gains popularity by claiming that she «doesn’t give a fuck» about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict whilst on Question Time and subsequently railing against being censored, she establishes the populist, far-right Four Star Party, whose symbol is four asterisks.

A specified word that actually has four letters:
Love:

• The fact that love is a word with four letters has been used in several popular song titles, including «Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word» written by Bob Dylan and performed by Joan Baez, «Four Letter Word» written by Ricki and Marty Wilde and performed by Kim Wilde, «4 Letter Word» written by Claude Kelly and Matt Squire and performed by David Cook.
• A television show called Love Is a Four Letter Word was produced by ABC in Australia.^[3]
• Jack Ingram’s song «Love You», uses love as a play on another four-letter word: «Yeah, I’m sick an’ lovin’ tired of all your lovin’ around».
• Metallica uses the line «Love is a four-letter word» in the song «The Day That Never Comes» from their album Death Magnetic.
• R&B singer Raheem DeVaughan used the «love» meaning in his song «Four Letter Word» on his 2008 album Love Behind The Melody.
• Love Is a Four Letter Word, 2012, Jason Mraz
• The song «How We Do (’93 Til)» by Freddie Gibbs features the line «love is a four-letter word like fuck and shit, so, love, you can suck my dick».^[4]

Work:

• In a song sung by Cilla Black and covered by The Smiths, «Work Is a Four-letter Word», this phrase is used to describe work as obscene.
• Work Is a Four-Letter Word is the title of a 1968 British comedy film.

Hope:

• The song «Counting Stars» by OneRepublic features the line «hope is our four-letter word».

Hate:

• The band Shock Therapy sang a song «Hate Is a 4-Letter Word».

Jazz:

• A photo-montage by partner-artists Privat & Primat is titled «Jazz and Love are 4-Letter Words».

Nice:

• Good Omens’s famous wall scene: Crowley’s «I’m not nice; nice is a four-letter word»

A specified word that does not actually have four letters:

• The band Cake made a play on words in their song «Friend Is a Four Letter Word.»
• The song «Baby, I’m an Anarchist» by Against Me! features the line «to you solidarity’s a four-letter word.»
• In Degrassi: The Next Generation Episode 504, Mr. Simpson (Snake) says «…in my life, spontaneous is a four-letter word.»
• In the song «Absolute zero» by «Stone Sour», there is a line that goes as follows: «Man is a four-letter word, it’s really absurd»

See also[edit]

• Seven dirty words
• Tetragrammaton

References[edit]

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!

Asked by: Anya Crona

Score: 4.1/5
(68 votes)

The phrase four-letter word refers to a set of English-language words written with four letters which are considered profane, including common popular or slang terms for excretory functions, sexual activity and genitalia, blasphemies, terms relating to Hell or damnation when used outside of religious contexts, or slurs …

Why is no a four-letter word?

To say something is not a four-letter word is often used humorously or to provoke thought, since the author is suggesting that the something should not be considered especially bad. Often the something isn’t commonly thought to be bad at all, hence the mild humour.

Are there any 4 letter words?

4-letter words

What is a good 4 letter word?

Really Cool Four-Letter Words

What is a four-letter man?

In scholastic parlance, the term “four-letter man” refers to a top high school (or college) athlete, specifically one who earns varsity “letters” in four sports-usually football (fall), basketball (winter), and both baseball and track (~pring).

43 related questions found

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Wikipedia.

Last Updated:
24 Mar 2023
— Updated example sentences

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From the frequency of the most common swear words being composed of or spelt with four letters.

Noun[edit]

four-letter word (plural four-letter words)

1. A reference to any of several of the strongest English swear words that are also four letters long, especially those composing the so-called seven dirty words.
   • 1981, “Wordy Rappinghood”, performed by Tom Tom Club:

     Words can make you pay and pay / Four-letter words I cannot say

2. (by extension) A swear word or any words considered to be taboo in a given scenario (regardless of length of word).
   • 1996, “Friend Is a Four-Letter Word”, in Fashion Nugget, performed by Cake:

     To me, coming from you, ‘Friend’ is a four letter word

   • 2018 January 20, Eve Smith, “The techlash against Amazon, Facebook and Google—and what they can do”, in The Economist‎^[1]:

     “Tech” is not yet a four-letter word, but it could soon become one.

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• four-letter word on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

The phrase four-letter word refers to a set of English words written with four letters which are considered profane, including common popular or slang terms for excretory functions, sexual activity, and genitalia. The «four-letter» claim refers to the fact that most English swear words are monosyllabic, and therefore are likely to have four letters on average. This euphemism came into use during the first half of the twentieth century. [cite book
first=Christine | last=Ammer | year=1997
title=The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
publisher=Houghton Mifflin Reference Books
location=New York
id=ISBN 039572774X ]

Common four-letter words (in this sense) include: «» («UK»), «», «», «», «», «», «», «», and «». These, in addition to at least ten others («», «», «», «», «», «joey», «», «», «», «», «», «», «», «», «», «», «» («UK»), «», «», «» («UK»)), are widely considered vulgar or offensive to some degree.

Occasionally the phrase «four-letter word» is humorously used to describe any word composed of four letters. This is the case when used to mean the word «work», alleging that the speaker’s or writer’s audience is work-shy and treat work as undesirable, or when the game of «golf» is noted as a four-letter word because the player’s chosen entertainment pastime becomes an exercise in frustration.Or|date=January 2008

imilar euphemisms in other languages

Group of profane words

* Dutch: A similar tradition occurs with «three-letter words»: («kut», «pik», «lul», «gvd»)

pecific curses euphemisms

* Spanish: the word «puta» («whore») is sometimes referred to as «cuatro letras» (four letters), for example, «Esa chica es una cuatro letras» («That girl is a four-letters»).

* Chilean Dialect: the phrase «el cuatro letras» (The «four letters») is often used as a euphemism to refer vulgar slang for the penis as there are many local slang terms consisting in four letters for that organ. Examples: Pico, Palo, Mazo, Pito, Walo, Ñaño, Copi, Nepe, Niño, etc.

* French: the word «merde» («shit») is sometimes referred to as «le mot de cinq lettres» («the five-letter word»).

* German: the phrase «Setz dich auf deine vier Buchstaben» («sit down on your four letters») is mainly used speaking to children, as it refers to the word «Popo», meaning «bum» in baby talk. Variants of the above phrase «Setz dich auf deine fünf Buchstaben» («sit down on your five letters») or «Setz dich auf deine vier oder fünf Buchstaben» («sit down on your four or five letters») allude to the vulgar use of the word «Arsch» («arse, or ass»).

* Latin: a common insult used to be «Es vir trium litterarum», meaning «you are a man of three letters». The underlying implication was that the addressed was a «fur», meaning «thief», although if challenged, the speaker could always claim he simply meant «vir», that is, «man».

* Polish: the word «dupa» («ass») is called «cztery litery» («the four letters»)

* Russian: the word «хуй» («cock»), the most common obscenity, is called «the three-letter word» (слово из трех букв) or just «three letters» (три буквы)

Tetragrammaton

Another interesting meaning of «four-letter word» (in Greek, «tetragrammaton») is the Hebrew name of the Abrahamic God, that is, י-ה-ו-ה (commonly transliterated as «YHWH», «Yahweh», and «Jehovah»), which Jews do not speak aloud, and protect when written (see Geniza).It is an example of the quadriliteral words of Hebrew.

Quotation

:Good authors too who once knew better words:Now only use four-letter words:Writing prose.:Anything goes.

:: — Cole Porter, «Anything Goes»

The fact that love is a four-letter word has been used in several popular songs, including «Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word» written by Bob Dylan and performed by Joan Baez, «Four Letter Word» written by Ricki and Marty Wilde and performed by Kim Wilde. A television show called [http://abc.com.au/loveis «Love is a Four-Letter Word»] was produced by ABC in Australia. The band Cake also made a play on words in their song «Friend is a Four Letter Word,» while The Blood Brothers took their prose in a different direction with their song «Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wreck,» which still stays true to the original meaning. In a song sung by Cilla Black and covered by The Smiths, » Work Is a Four-Letter Word» this phrase is used to describe work as obscene. Welsh punk band Four Letter Word formed in 1991, named themselves after the phrase, which in turn later inspired locals The Lostprophets to also parody the phrase in their song «Five Is A Four Letter Word». Jack ingram’s song «Love You», uses love as a play on another four letter word,»Yeah, I’m sick an’ lovin’ tired of all your lovin’ around»

A famous citing of the majority of these words was in the FCC’s censorship of comedian George Carlin’s radioplay of his comedy routine ‘The Seven Words You Can’t Say On Television.’

See also

*»Maledicta»
*»Hypocrisy»

References

Educalingo cookies are used to personalize ads and get web traffic statistics. We also share information about the use of the site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners.

Download the app
educalingo

To far too many, science is a four-letter word, and under the modern media’s false equivalency standards, a handful of skeptics are viewed as counterweights to the vast majority of scientists who acknowledge mankind’s proven role in global warming.

Christine Pelosi

PRONUNCIATION OF FOUR-LETTER WORD

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF FOUR-LETTER WORD

Four-Letter word is a noun.

WHAT DOES FOUR-LETTER WORD MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of four-letter word in the English dictionary

The definition of four-letter word in the dictionary is any of several short English words referring to sex or excrement: often used as swearwords and regarded generally as offensive or obscene.

TRANSLATION OF FOUR-LETTER WORD

Find out the translation of four-letter word to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «FOUR-LETTER WORD»

The term «four-letter word» is regularly used and occupies the 91.114 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of four-letter word

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «FOUR-LETTER WORD» OVER TIME

3 QUOTES WITH «FOUR-LETTER WORD»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word four-letter word.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «FOUR-LETTER WORD»

Discover the use of four-letter word in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to four-letter word and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «FOUR-LETTER WORD»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term four-letter word is used in the context of the following news items.

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Four-Letter word [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/four-letter-word>. Apr 2023 ».