The meaning of the word bitch

The slang usage of the word bitch is apparent on the sign in this protest.

Bitch ( bich)[1] is a pejorative slang word for a person, usually a woman. When applied to a woman or girl, it means someone who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive, or dominant.[2] When applied to a man or boy, bitch reverses its meaning and is a derogatory term for being subordinate, weak, or cowardly.[citation needed]

The term bitch is one of the most common curse words in the English language. It has been used as a «term of contempt towards women» for «over six centuries»,[3] and is a slur that fosters sexism against women.[4] It has been characterized as «an archaic word demeaning women since as early as the 15th century» that seeks to control women.[5] The word is considered taboo in mainstream media, and euphemisms such as «the B-word» are used to minimize its negative impact.[6]

The term bitch literally means a female dog. Its original use as a vulgarism carried a meaning suggesting high sexual desire in a woman, comparable to a dog in heat.[2] The range of meanings has expanded in modern usage (such as when applied to a man). In a feminist context, it can indicate a strong or assertive woman and has therefore been reappropriated by some women.[7]

History

Literally, a bitch is a female dog; as an insult, it originally compared a woman to a dog in heat.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term bitch comes from the Old English word bicce or bicge, meaning «female dog», which dates to around 1000 CE. It may have derived from the earlier Old Norse word bikkja, also meaning «female dog».[8][9]

«Dog» has long been used as an insult toward both women and men. In ancient Greece, dog was often used in a derogatory sense to refer to someone whose behavior was improper or transgressive. This could include shamelessness or lack of restraint, lack of hospitality, lack of loyalty, and indiscriminate or excessive violence, among other qualities.[10] Over time, classicist C. Franco argues, a «persistent symbolic connection» developed between dogs and women in Greek literature that expressed and reinforced women’s subordinate position in society and their supposedly inferior nature.[10]

There may also be a connection between less literal senses of «bitch» and the Greek goddess Artemis. As she is the goddess of the hunt, she was often portrayed with a pack of hunting dogs and sometimes transformed into an animal herself.[11] She was seen as free, vigorous, cold, impetuous, unsympathetic, wild, and beautiful.[12]

The earliest use of «bitch» specifically as a derogatory term for women dates to the fifteenth century.[8][9] Its earliest slang meaning mainly referred to sexual behavior, according to the English language historian Geoffrey Hughes:[13]

The early applications were to a promiscuous or sensual woman, a metaphorical extension of the behavior of a bitch in heat. Herein lies the original point of the powerful insult son of a bitch, found as biche sone ca. 1330 in Arthur and Merlin … while in a spirited exchange in the Chester Play (ca. 1400) a character demands: «Whom callest thou queine, skabde bitch?» («Who are you calling a whore, you miserable bitch?»).

Bitch remained a strong insult through the nineteenth century. The entry in Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785) reads:

A she dog, or doggess; the most offensive appellation
that can be given to an English woman, even more
provoking than that of whore, as may be gathered from the
regular Billinsgate or St Giles answer–»I may be a
whore, but can’t be a bitch.»[14]

Throughout the word’s evolution into the nineteenth century, it became gradually less offensive. The Oxford English Dictionary in the nineteenth century described the insult as «strictly a lewd or sensual woman».[15] The word went through many similar phases throughout history. It was not until the 20th century that feminism began to reevaluate the term and its appropriation.[16]

In the 1920s, bitch became once again a common insult used against women. The term bitch became more popular in common language during this era. Between 1915 and 1930, the use of «bitch» in newspapers and literature more than doubled.[17] The writing of Ernest Hemingway popularized the more modern meaning of «bitch» in this era. He used it to represent favorable qualities such as ferocity, edginess, and grit.[18] It was during this time that women began gaining more freedom (such as the right to vote through the Nineteenth Amendment).[19] The word «bitch» during the twenties meant «malicious or consciously attempting to harm», «difficult, annoying, or interfering», and «sexually brazen or overly vulgar».[20]

According to Dr. Timothy Jay, there are «over 70 different taboo words», but 80 percent of the time only ten words are used, and bitch is included in that set.[21] Being called the term bitch has been associated with worsening the mental health of women.[22]

Modern use

In modern usage, the slang term bitch has different meanings depending largely on social context and may vary from very offensive to endearing,[9] and as with many slang terms, its meaning and nuances can vary depending on the region in which it is used.

Bitch wine. «Bitch» has been reappropriated to have positive meanings in some contexts.

The term bitch can refer to a person or thing that is very difficult, as in «Life’s a bitch» or «He sure got the bitch end of that deal». It is common for insults to lose intensity as their meaning broadens («bastard» is another example).[13] In the film The Women (1939), Joan Crawford could only allude to the word: «And by the way, there’s a name for you ladies, but it isn’t used in high society — outside of a kennel.» At the time, use of the actual word would have been censored by the Hays Office. By 1974, Elton John had a hit single (#4 in the U.S. and #14 in the U.K.) with «The Bitch Is Back», in which he says «bitch» repeatedly. It was, however, censored by some radio stations.[23] On late night U.S. television, the character Emily Litella (1976-1978) on Saturday Night Live (portrayed by Gilda Radner) would frequently refer to Jane Curtin under her breath at the end of their Weekend Update routine in this way: «Oh! Never mind…! Bitch!»

Bitchin’ arose in the 1950s to describe something found to be cool or rad.[24]

Modern use can include self-description, often as an unfairly difficult person. For example, in the New York Times bestseller The Bitch in the House, a woman describes her marriage: «I’m fine all day at work, but as soon as I get home, I’m a horror….I’m the bitch in the house.»[25] Boy George admitted «I was being a bitch» in a falling out with Elton John.[26]

Generally, the term bitch is still considered offensive, and not accepted in formal situations. According to linguist Deborah Tannen, «Bitch is the most contemptible thing you can say about a woman. Save perhaps the four-letter C word.»[27]
It’s common for the word to be censored on Prime time TV, often rendered as «the b-word». During the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, a John McCain supporter referred to Hillary Clinton by asking, «How do we beat the bitch?» The event was reported in censored format:[28]

On CNN’s «The Situation Room,» Washington Post media critic and CNN «Reliable Sources» host Howard Kurtz observed that «Senator McCain did not embrace the ‘b’ word that this woman in the audience used.» ABC reporter Kate Snow adopted the same locution. On CNN’s «Out in the Open,» Rick Sanchez characterized the word without using it by saying, «Last night, we showed you a clip of one of his supporters calling Hillary Clinton the b-word that rhymes with witch.» A local Fox 25 news reporter made the same move when he rhymed the unspoken word with rich.

A study reported that, when used on social media, bitch «aims to promote traditional, cultural beliefs about femininity».[29] Used hundreds of thousands of times per day on such platforms, it is associated with sexist harassment, «victimizing targets», and «shaming» victims who do not abide by degrading notions about femininity.[29]

Reappropriation

Two women protesting the pejorative ‘bitch’ and slut-shaming at New York City’s SlutWalk in October 2011[30]

In the context of modern feminism, bitch has varied reappropriated meanings that may connote a strong female (anti-stereotype of weak submissive woman), cunning (equal to males in mental guile), or else it may be used as a tongue-in cheek backhanded compliment for someone who has excelled in an achievement.[7][31][32] For example, Bitch magazine describes itself as a «feminist response to pop culture».[33]

Feminist attorney Jo Freeman (Joreen) authored «The BITCH Manifesto» in 1968:[34][35]

A Bitch takes shit from no one. You may not like her, but you cannot ignore her….[Bitches] have loud voices and often use them. Bitches are not pretty….Bitches seek their identity strictly thru themselves and what they do. They are subjects, not objects…Often they do dominate other people when roles are not available to them which more creatively sublimate their energies and utilize their capabilities. More often they are accused of domineering when doing what would be considered natural by a man.

Bitch has also been reappropriated by hip-hop culture, rappers use the adjective «bad bitch» to refer to an independent, confident, attractive woman. The term is used in a complimentary way, meaning the woman is desirable. One of the first instances of «bitch» being used in this way is in the song «Da Baddest Bitch» by Trina, released in 1999.[36] This can also be seen throughout multiple different songs from Rihanna’s song entitled «Bad Bitch» featuring Beyoncé which reiterates the line «I’m a bad bitch»[37] multiple times. Nicki Minaj is another female rap icon who uses the term in her song «Starships» where she says “bad bitches like me is hard to come by”.[38] This use of the word bitch shows women reappropriating the meaning to be a more positive and empowering word for women.

The increased usage of the word bitch casually or in a friendly way by women has been characterized by Sherryl Kleynman as a result of the absorption of sexist culture by women.[2] Such usage has been cited by Kleinman et al. as increasing the perception the word is acceptable and excusing men who use it against women.[39]

Pop culture

In pop culture, the use of the term bitch has increased through media such as television, movies, magazines, social media, etc. The use of the word «bitch» on television shows tripled between 1998 and 2007, which had much to do with the word’s feminist facelift in the previous decade.[36]

In a 2006 interview titled «Pop Goes the Feminist», Bitch magazine co-founder Andi Zeisler explained the naming of the magazine:[7]

When we chose the name, we were thinking, well, it would be great to reclaim the word «bitch» for strong, outspoken women, much the same way that «queer» has been reclaimed by the gay community. That was very much on our minds, the positive power of language reclamation.

Pop culture contains a number of slogans of self-identification based on bitch. For example,

  • «You call me ‘Bitch’ like it’s a bad thing.»
  • «I go zero to bitch in 3.5 seconds.»

There are several backronyms. Heartless Bitches International is a club with the slogan «Because we know BITCH means: Being In Total Control, Honey!» Other imagined acronyms include

  • «Beautiful Intelligent Talented Creative Honest»
  • «Beautiful Individual That Causes Hardons»[40]
  • «Babe In Total Control of Herself».[41]

As stated in Scallen’s Bitch Thesis, «As Asim demonstrates with his discussion of the appropriation of the N word by black communities, the term bitch is deployed in pop culture in multiple ways (with multiple meanings) at the same time.»[42] Derogatory terms are constantly appropriated. Many women, such as Nicki Minaj, refer to themselves as bitches. By calling oneself a bitch in today’s culture, these women are referencing their success, money, sexuality, and power. Asha Layne’s article Now That’s a Bad Bitch!: The State of Women in Hip-Hop, «The change in the meaning of the word thus subverts the tools of oppression used to dominate women to now empower them.»[43]

Hip hop culture

One early rapper to use the word bitch on record was Duke Bootee on his classic 1983 song with Grandmaster Flash, New York New York. («He says he ain’t gonna pay no child support / because the bitch left him without a second thought.») However, it is sometimes claimed that Slick Rick’s «La Di Da Di» (1985) was the first rap song to use the term.[44] Since the late 1980s, the word bitch has been frequently used among hip-hop artists and followers of the culture, which can be said as «bee-otch», spelled like Biotch, Beyotch, Beotch, etc.[45] One of the first artists to popularize the pronunciation as beeatch or biatch as a refrain in the late 1980s was Oakland-based rapper Too $hort.

Reaching back to the dozens and dirty blues, early rappers like Slick Rick established the bitch as a character: a woman, often treacherous, but sometimes simply déclassé.[46] Adams and Fuller (2006) state that, in misogynistic rap, a bitch is a «money-hungry, scandalous, manipulating, and demanding woman».[45] However, the word bitch is also frequently used (by male rappers) towards other men in rap lyrics, usually to describe a man who is a subordinate or homosexual, or a man who is supposedly unmanly or inferior in some way.[47] An example of this is the song Bitches 2 by Ice-T, which gives an example of a male «bitch» in each verse.

Some female hip hop artists have challenged male rappers’ use of the word bitch to refer to women, with Queen Latifah asking in her 1993 song «U.N.I.T.Y.»: «Who you callin’ a bitch?»[48][49] Other female rappers from the same era frequently used the term to refer to themselves and/or others, notably Roxanne Shante (who even made a 1992 album entitled The Bitch Is Back) and MC Lyte. Popular culture has inspired women to redefine the word bitch as a euphemism for «Strong black woman».

In 2016, Kanye West released his seventh studio album called The Life of Pablo. On the song called «Famous» West raps, «I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous.» This sparked a controversy with Taylor Swift as she «cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message.»[50] In response to Swift’s remarks, West went on Twitter and posted a tweet which said how the word «bitch» is an endearing term in hip hop like the word «nigga».

In reference to men

When used to describe a male, bitch may also confer the meaning of subordinate, especially to another male, as in prison. Generally, this term is used to indicate that the person is acting outside the confines of their gender roles, such as when women are assertive or aggressive, or when men are passive or servile. According to James Coyne from the Department of Psychology at the University of California, «‘Bitch’ serves the social function of isolating and discrediting a class of people who do not conform to the socially accepted patterns of behavior.»[51]

In the context of prison sexuality, a bitch is a lower-hierarchy prisoner, typically physically weak or vulnerable, who is dominated by more senior prisoners and forced to adopt a servile role. According to convention, these inmates are used as sexual slaves or traded as personal property.[citation needed]

A «prison bitch» can also refer to any subservient entity, as in the Douglas Rushkoff description of a Microsoft — Yahoo partnership: «Yahoo is merely hooking up with the most alpha male company it can still find in order to survive. Microsoft will soon turn Yahoo into its prison bitch, and this won’t be pretty.»[52]

Idioms

Son of a bitch

The first known appearance of «son-of-a-bitch» in a work of American fiction is Seventy-Six (1823), a historical fiction novel set during the American Revolutionary War by eccentric writer and critic John Neal.[53][54] The protagonist, Jonathan Oadley, recounts a battle scene in which he is mounted on a horse: «I wheeled, made a dead set at the son-of-a-bitch in my rear, unhorsed him, and actually broke through the line.»[55]

The term’s use as an insult is as old as that of bitch. Euphemistic terms are often substituted, such as gun in the phrase «son of a gun» as opposed to «son of a bitch», or «s.o.b.» for the same phrase. Like bitch, the severity of the insult has diminished. Roy Blount Jr. in 2008 extolled the virtues of «son of a bitch» (particularly in comparison to «asshole») in common speech and deed.[56] Son of a bitch can also be used as a «how about that» reaction, or as a reaction to excruciating pain.

In politics the phrase «Yes, he is a son of a bitch, but he is our son of a bitch» has been attributed, probably apocryphally, to various U.S. presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Richard Nixon.[57] Immediately after the detonation of the first atomic bomb in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in July 1945 (the device codenamed Gadget), the Manhattan Project scientist who served as the director of the test, Kenneth Tompkins Bainbridge, exclaimed to Robert Oppenheimer «Now we’re all sons-of-bitches.»[58]

In January 2022, U.S. president Joe Biden was recorded on a hot mic responding to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asking, «Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?» Biden responded sarcastically, saying, «It’s a great asset — more inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch.»[59]

The 19th-century British racehorse Filho da Puta took its name from «Son of a Bitch» in Portuguese.

The Curtiss SB2C, a World War II U.S. Navy dive bomber, was called «Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class» by some of its pilots and crewmen.

In cards

To have the «bitch end» of a hand in poker is to have the weaker version of the same hand as another player. This situation occurs especially in poker games with community cards. For example, to have a lower straight than one’s opponent is to have the bitch end.[citation needed]

The bitch is slang for the queen of spades.[60]

Other forms

When used as a verb, to bitch means to complain. Usage in this context is almost always pejorative in intent.[1]
As an adjective, the term sometimes has a meaning opposite its usual connotations. Something that is bitching (the bitch) is really great. For example, an admired motorcycle may be praised as a «bitchin’ bike».[61]

See also

Look up bitch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

  • Basic bitches
  • «Bitch» (Law & Order)
  • Bitch magazine
  • «Bitch» (Meredith Brooks song)
  • Bottom bitch
  • Third-wave feminism § Reclaiming derogatory terms

References

  1. ^ a b «Definition of bitch | Dictionary.com». dictionary.com. Retrieved 2021-08-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c Kleynman, Sherryl (Spring 2009). «Reclaiming Critical Analysis:The Social Harms of «Bitch»» (PDF). Sociological Analysis. 3.
  3. ^ Tamayo, Yvonne A. (2009-02-14). «‘Rhymes with Rich’: Power, Law, and the Bitch». Rochester, NY. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1468989. SSRN 1468989.
  4. ^ «Women reflect on sexist slur that often goes unpunished». PBS NewsHour. 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  5. ^ Drexler, Peggy (10 August 2015). «How the ‘B-word’ is used to keep women down». CNN. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  6. ^ HALL JAMIESON, KATHLEEN (Summer 2008). «The ‘B’ Word in Traditional News and on the Web». Nieman Reports: 31–33.
  7. ^ a b c Pop Goes the Feminist, Deborah Solomon interviews Andi Zeisler, The New York Times, August 6, 2006.
  8. ^ a b «bitch, n. 1», Oxford English Dictionary Online, Oxford University Press, retrieved 10 August 2017
  9. ^ a b c Grynbaum, Michael M. (August 7, 2007). «It’s a Female Dog, or Worse. Or Endearing. And Illegal?». The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
  10. ^ a b Franco, Cristiana (2014). Shameless: The Canine and the Feminine in Ancient Greece. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520273405. OCLC 886107785.
  11. ^ Bayley, Clare. «The Evolution of Bitch in the English Language». Bitch a History. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  12. ^ Higginson, Thomas. The Greek Goddesses. Middlebury College. p. 197.
  13. ^ a b Hughes, Geoffrey. Encyclopedia of Swearing : The Social History of Oaths, Profanity, Foul Language, and Ethnic Slurs in the English-Speaking World. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.
  14. ^ Grose, Francis. 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Hosted at Project Gutenberg. Retrieved on January 9, 2007.
  15. ^ Gross, Beverly (1994). «Bitch». Salmagundi.
  16. ^ Kleinman, Sherryl; Ezzel, Matthew; Frost, A. Corey (Spring 2009). «The Social Harms of ‘Bitch’» (PDF). Sociological Analysis.
  17. ^ «Google Ngram Viewer». books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  18. ^ «Meet the New Bitch». The Atlantic. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  19. ^ «19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women%27s Right to Vote». www.archives.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  20. ^ Triska, Zoë (January 23, 2013). «You Say ‘Bitch’ Like It’s A Bad Thing: Examining the Implications of the Notorious Word». The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  21. ^ Jay, Timothy (March 2009). «The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words». Perspectives on Psychological Science. 4 (2): 153–161. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01115.x. PMID 26158942. S2CID 34370535.
  22. ^ Klonoff, Elizabeth A.; Landrine, Hope; Campbell, Robin (March 2000). «Sexist Discrimination May Account for Well-Known Gender Differences in Psychiatric Symptoms». Psychology of Women Quarterly. 24 (1): 93–99. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.2000.tb01025.x. ISSN 0361-6843. S2CID 143941020.
  23. ^ «The Bitch Is Back by Elton John Songfacts». Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  24. ^ «bitchin’ | very good or appealing». www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  25. ^ The Bitch in the House, ed. Cathi Hanaeur
  26. ^ Elton John and Boy George End Feuf Archived June 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ Carlson, Margaret (16 January 1995). «The Public Eye: Muzzle the B Word». Time.
  28. ^ Hall, Kathleen. «Nieman Reports | The ‘B’ Word in Traditional News and on the Web». Nieman.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  29. ^ a b Felmlee, Diane; Inara Rodis, Paulina; Zhang, Amy (2020-07-01). «Sexist Slurs: Reinforcing Feminine Stereotypes Online». Sex Roles. 83 (1): 16–28. doi:10.1007/s11199-019-01095-z. ISSN 1573-2762.
  30. ^ SlutWalk Rally Against Sexual Violence Draws Huge Crowd of Feminists Archived 2012-05-04 at the Wayback Machine, Rebecca Nathanson, Village Voice, October 2, 2011
  31. ^ Third Wave Feminism, by Tamara Straus, MetroActive, December 6, 2000.
  32. ^ You’ve Really Got Some Minerva, Veronica Mars Archived 2007-04-23 at the Wayback Machine, 2006-11-21.
  33. ^ «Bitch Media». Bitchmagazine.org. 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  34. ^ «The Bitch Manifesto — Documents from the Women’s Liberation Movement». Scriptorium.lib.duke.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  35. ^ «The BITCH Manifesto». Jofreeman.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  36. ^ a b «The Evolution of the Bitch | VICE | United States». VICE. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  37. ^ «Rihanna (Ft. Beyoncé) – Bad Bitch (Demo)». Genius. Archived from the original on 2015-10-12. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  38. ^ «Starships — Nicki Minaj». Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  39. ^ Kleinman, Sherryl; Copp, Martha (July 2009). «Denying Social Harm: Students’ Resistance to Lessons About Inequality». Teaching Sociology. 37 (3): 283–293. doi:10.1177/0092055X0903700306. ISSN 0092-055X. S2CID 144951871.
  40. ^ «BITCH — Beautiful Individual That Causes Hardons». Abbreviations.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  41. ^ «Beautiful Intelligent Talented Creative Honest — What does BITCH stand for? Acronyms and abbreviations by the Free Online Dictionary». Acronyms.thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  42. ^ Scallen. «Bitch Thesis.» 2010. Department of American Studies. Paper. 17 October 2015.
  43. ^ Layne, Asha. Now That’s a Bad Bitch!: The State of Women in Hip-Hop. 24 April 2014. Article. 19 October 2015.
  44. ^ Aldave, Cherryl (2003-01-29). «Forgotten Elements: A Bitch Iz A Bitch | Rappers Talk Hip Hop Beef & Old School Hip Hop». HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  45. ^ a b Adams, Terri M.; Fuller, Douglas B. (July 2006). «The Words Have Changed but the Ideology Remains the Same: Misogynistic Lyrics in Rap Music». Journal of Black Studies. 36 (6): 938–957. doi:10.1177/0021934704274072. S2CID 143525484.
  46. ^ Powers, Ann (6 September 2012). «Who You Calling A B—-?». NPR.org. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  47. ^ «Dr. Dre – Bitches Ain’t Shit Lyrics». Rap Genius. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  48. ^ Neal, Mark Anthony and Murray Forman. That’s the Joint! The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. New York: Routledge, 2004, p. 315, ISBN 978-0-415-96918-5.
  49. ^ Dyson, Miachel Eric. Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip-Hop. New York: Basic Civitas Books, 2007, p. 124, ISBN 978-0-465-01716-4.
  50. ^ «7 Women Who Put Kanye in His Place About Using the Word «Bitch»«. mic.com. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  51. ^ Coyne, James C.; Sherman, Richard C.; O’Brien, Karen (December 1978). «Expletives and woman’s place». Sex Roles. 4 (6): 827–835. doi:10.1007/bf00287702. S2CID 143420865.
  52. ^ Rushkoff, Douglas (29 July 2009). «Microsoft’s Prison Yard Conquest». The Daily Beast. The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  53. ^ Sears, Donald A. (1978). John Neal. Boston, Massachusetts: Twayne Publishers. p. 46. ISBN 080-5-7723-08.
  54. ^ Barnes, Albert F. (1984). Greater Portland Celebration 350. Portland, Maine: Guy Gannett Publishing Co. p. 47. ISBN 0-930096-58-4.
  55. ^ Neal, John (1840) [originally published as Seventy-Six in 1823]. Seventy-Six; or, Love and Battle. Novel newspaper ;no. 87. London, England: J. Cunningham. p. 52.
  56. ^ «The Word Son of a Bitch – Epithets». Esquire. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  57. ^ «Our Son of a Bitch». 28 August 2013.
  58. ^ «Science Quotes by Kenneth Bainbridge».
  59. ^ Boak, Josh (24 January 2022). «Biden caught on hot mic swearing at Fox News reporter». AP News. AP. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  60. ^ New Jersey Free Poker. «Poker Glossary Poker Terms and Poker Definitions and Poker Meanings». Worldfreepoker.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  61. ^ Shachtman, Noah (2009-01-14). «Northrop Unveils Bitchin’ Bomber-Cycle». Wired.

Further reading

  • Why Women Who Succeed Are Called Bitch by Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald, November 2007.
  • Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel
  • The B-Word? You Betcha., The Washington Post
  • Hughes, Geoffrey. Encyclopedia of Swearing : The Social History of Oaths, Profanity, Foul Language, and Ethnic Slurs in the English-Speaking World. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.
  • The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth about Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood, and Marriage, Cathy Hanaeur, ed., reviews in the Atlantic (magazine) by Sandra Tsing Loh

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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English

Etymology

From Middle English biche, bicche, from Old English biċċe, from Proto-West Germanic *bikkjā, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ (compare Norwegian bikkje (dog), Old Danish bikke), from *bikjaną (to thrust, attack) (compare Old Norse bikkja (plunge into water), Dutch bikken (to hack)). More at bicker.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: bĭch, IPA(key): /bɪt͡ʃ/
  • (Can we verify(+) this pronunciation?) (Slang) IPA(key): /bɪt͡s/
  • Rhymes: -ɪtʃ

Noun

bitch (countable and uncountable, plural bitches)

  1. (dated or specialised, dog-breeding) A female dog or other canine, particularly a recent mother.

    My bitch just had puppies; they’re so cute!

    • 1953, LIFE (volume 34, number 6, page 110)
      All members of one breed, both dog and bitch, champion and nonchampion, are judged in a series of competitions until only one animal remains.
  2. (archaic, offensive) A promiscuous woman, slut, whore.[1]
  3. (vulgar, offensive) A despicable or disagreeable, aggressive person, usually a woman. [from 15th c.]

    Ann gossiped about me and mocked my work; sometimes she can be a real bitch!

    • 1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Symptomes of Iealousie, Fear, Sorrow, Suspition, Strange Actions, Gestures, Outrages, Locking Up, Oathes, Trials, Lawes, &c.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. [], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed [by Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 3, section 3, member 2, subsection 1, page 610:

      He cals her on a ſudden, all to naught; ſhe is a ſtrumpet, a light huswife, a bitch, an arrant whore.

  4. (vulgar, offensive) A woman.
    • 1996, Tupac Shakur and the Outlawz (lyrics), Johnny «J» (music), “Hit ‘Em Up”, in Hit ‘Em Up[1], California: Death Row Records, performed by 2Pac:

      Biggie, remember when I used to let you sleep on the couch, and beg the bitch to let you sleep in the house?

    • 2003, Curtis Jackson (lyrics), Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo (music), “If I Can’t”, in Get Rich or Die Tryin’, New York City: Shady Records, performed by 50 Cent:

      Niggas on my dick more than my bitches.

  5. (vulgar, offensive) A man considered weak, effeminate, timid or pathetic in some way
    1. (LGBT, slang, derogatory) An obviously gay man.[2]
  6. (vulgar, offensive) A submissive person who does what others want; (prison slang) a man forced or coerced into a homoerotic relationship. [from the 20th c]

    Dude, don’t be such a bitch. Assert yourself.

    You’re so weak-willed with your girlfriend. You must be the real bitch in the relationship.

    • 1999 September 23, Chris Sheridan, “This House Is Freakin’ Sweet”, “Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater”, Family Guy, season 2, episode 1, Fox Broadcasting Company
      Now that you’re stinking rich, we’d gladly be your bitch.
  7. (obsolete, informal, of a man) A playful variation on dog (sense «man»). [from the 16th c]
  8. (humorous, vulgar, colloquial, used with a possessive pronoun) Friend. [from the 20th c]

    What’s up, my bitch?

    How my bitches been doin’?

  9. (vulgar, colloquial) A complaint, especially when the complaint is unjustified.
  10. (colloquial, vulgar) A difficult or confounding problem.

    Level 5 was a real bitch, don’t you think?

    That’s a bitch of a question.

  11. (colloquial, vulgar, card games) A queen playing card, particularly the queen of spades in the card game of hearts.
    Coordinate term: butcher
  12. (vulgar, figurative) Something unforgiving and unpleasant.
    • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, London: Heinemann, →OCLC, page 27:

      [] he wrote to me last week telling me about an incredible bitch of a row blazing there on account of someone having been and gone and produced an unofficial magazine called Raddled, full of obscene libellous Oz-like filth. And what I though, what Sammy and I thought, was—why not?

    Karma’s a bitch.

  13. (vulgar, informal, slang) Place; situation

    I’m ’bout to get up outta this bitch.

  14. (UK, obsolete, university slang) Tea (the drink).
    • 1824, Gradus Ad Cantabrigiam: Or, New University Guide to the Academical Customs, and Colloquial Or Cant Terms Peculiar to the University of Cambridge, Observing Wherein It Differs from Oxford (page 131)
      [] seldom gets «a little the worse for liquor,» gives no swell parties, runs very little into debt, takes his cup of bitch at night, and goes quietly to bed, and thus he passes his time in a way a Varmint man would despise.
  15. (chess, slang, vulgar, offensive) A queen.

Usage notes

  • While bitch’s original canine sense permits it to be used in most media, it remains offensive enough that, in the US, it is often minced (as b, b-word, or female dog) in formal contexts.

Alternative forms

(offensive senses):
  • bih
  • biatch/biotch; beatch/beotch
  • binch
  • biyatch/biyotch; beeyatch/beeyotch
  • bizatch/biz-atch/biznatch
Euphemisms
  • b-word
  • rhymes-with-rich

Synonyms

  • (female dog, etc): doggess (rare), female (when the species is specified or implied), she-dog
  • (malicious, etc, woman): See Thesaurus:shrew or Thesaurus:jerk
  • (malicious, etc, man): See Thesaurus:bastard or Thesaurus:jerk
  • (jocular slang, one’s friend): See Thesaurus:friend
  • (person in an unfavorable, undesirable position):
  • (person in a relationship who is made to adopt a submissive role): doormat, slave
  • (man forced into a homoerotic relationship in prison): punk, gunsel
  • (a complaint): gripe, grumble, kvetch, moan, whinge
  • (difficult or confounding problem): toughie, stinker, pain in the ass
  • (to talk about):

Hyponyms

female canine
  • brach, a female hound
  • vixen, a female fox
  • she-wolf

Derived terms

  • bad bitch
  • basic bitch
  • biker bitch
  • bitch and a half
  • bitch eating crackers
  • bitch fight
  • bitch goddess
  • bitch hound
  • bitch magnet
  • bitch off
  • bitch out
  • bitch seat
  • bitch shield
  • bitch slap
  • bitch switch
  • bitch tits
  • bitch up
  • bitch, please
  • bitch-ass
  • bitch-hound
  • bitch-made
  • bitch-out
  • bitch-slap
  • bitch-whore
  • bitchboy
  • bitchcakes
  • bitchcraft
  • bitchcunt
  • bitchdom
  • bitcher
  • bitchery
  • bitchette
  • bitchface
  • bitchfest
  • bitchin’
  • bitchiness
  • bitching
  • bitchitis
  • bitchless
  • bitchlet
  • bitchlike
  • bitchling
  • bitchload
  • bitchly
  • bitchola
  • bitchslut
  • bitchwad
  • bitchwhore
  • bitchy
  • bitchy-pants
  • bitchzilla
  • black bitch
  • bottom bitch
  • bull-bitch
  • daughter of a bitch
  • dish bitch
  • door bitch
  • drunk as a fiddler’s bitch
  • flip a bitch
  • he-bitch
  • kitchen bitch
  • life’s a bitch
  • life’s a bitch and then you die
  • like a bitch
  • like a bitch on heat
  • main bitch
  • mollying-bitch
  • prison bitch
  • resting bitch face
  • ride bitch
  • she bitch
  • she-bitch
  • side bitch
  • skinny bitch
  • snitch bitch
  • son of a bitch, sonofabitch
  • witch

Descendants

  • Dutch: bitch
  • ? German: Betze, Bätze, Petze
  • French: bitch

Translations

female canine

  • Afrikaans: teef (af) f
  • Albanian: bushtër (sq) f, shakë (sq) f, buçe (sq) f, kuçkë (sq) f
  • Arabic: ثَعْلَبَة (ar) (ṯaʕlaba) (fox), كَلْبَة‎ f (kalba)
  • Aramaic:
    Classical Syriac: ܟܠܒܬܐ‎ f (kalbəṯā)
    Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: כַּלְבְּתָא‎ f (kalbəṯā)
  • Armenian: քած (hy) (kʿac)
  • Aromanian: cãtsauã f, cãtsau f
  • Asturian: perra (ast) f
  • Bashkir: кәнтәй (käntäy)
  • Belarusian: су́ка f (súka)
  • Breton: kiez (br) f
  • Bulgarian: кучка (bg) f (kučka)
  • Catalan: gossa (ca) f
  • Central Atlas Tamazight: ⵜⴰⵢⴷⵉⵜ (taydit)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 母狗 (zh) (mǔgǒu)
  • Cornish: gast f
  • Czech: fena (cs) f, vlčice (wolf)
  • Danish: tæve (da) c (dog)
  • Dutch: teef (nl) f, wolvin (nl) f (wolf), vossin f (fox)
  • Esperanto: hundino (eo) (dog), lupino (wolf), vulpino (fox)
  • Ewe: avunɔ f
  • Faroese: tík f, bikkja f
  • Finnish: narttu (fi), naaraskoira (dog), naaraskettu (fox), naarassusi (wolf)
  • French: chienne (fr) f (dog), louve (fr) f (wolf), renarde (fr) f (fox)
  • Friulian: čhice f
  • Galician: cadela (gl) f
  • Georgian: ძუკნა (ʒuḳna)
  • German: Fähe (de) f (dog, fox, badger, ferret, etc.), Hündin (de) f (dog), Wölfin (de) f (wolf), Füchsin (de) f (fox), Kojotin f (coyote), Schakalin f (jackal)
  • Greek: σκύλα (el) f (skýla), λύκαινα (el) (lýkaina) (wolf)
  • Hebrew: כַּלְבָּה‎ f (kalba), שׁוּעָלָה( shu’ala) (fox)
  • Hindi: कुतिया (hi) f (kutiyā), कुत्ती (hi) f (kuttī)
  • Hungarian: szuka (hu), nőstény (hu)
  • Icelandic: tík (is) f
  • Indonesian: anjing betina
  • Interlingua: can f
  • Italian: cagna (it) f (dog), lupa (it) (wolf)
  • Japanese: 雌犬 (めすいぬ, mesuinu)
  • Kashmiri : ہوٗنؠ (ks) (hūn’)
  • Korean: 암캐 (ko) (amkae)
  • Kurdish:
    Northern Kurdish: (please verify) dêlegur (ku) (wolf)
  • Latvian: kuce (lv) f
  • Lithuanian: kalė f, vilkė f (wolf)
  • Low German: Teev f, Tääv f, Tiff f
  • Macedonian: кучка f (kučka)
  • Malay:
    Jawi: انجيڠ بتينا(dog), اسو بتينا(dog), سريݢالا بتينا(wolf), روبه بتينا(fox), موسڠ بتينا(fox), کويوتي بتينا(coyote), جاکل بتينا(jackal)
    Rumi: anjing betina (dog), asu betina (dog), serigala betina (wolf), rubah betina (fox), musang betina (fox), koyote betina (coyote), jakal betina (jackal)
  • Malayalam: കൂത്തിപ്പട്ടി (ml) (kūttippaṭṭi)
  • Maltese: kelba f
  • Manx: coo-bwoirryn m
  • Maori: uwha kurī
  • Marathi: कुत्री f (kutrī)
  • Mi’kmaq: sgwesmuj anim
  • Middle English: bicche
  • Nanai: вэчэн
  • Navajo: łééchąątsaʼii
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: tispe (no) m or f
    Nynorsk: tispe f
  • Occitan: canha (oc) f
  • Ottoman Turkish: قانجیق(kancık)
  • Persian: ماده‌سگ(mâde-sag), لاج (fa) (lâj)
  • Polish: suka (pl) f, wilczyca (pl) (wolf), lisica (pl) (fox)
  • Portuguese: cadela (pt) f, cachorra (pt) f, loba (pt) (wolf), bucica (pt) f (regionalism)
  • Punjabi: ਕੁੱਤੀ f (kuttī)
  • Romani: ʒukli f
  • Romanian: cățea (ro) f (dog), lupoaică (ro) f (wolf), vulpoaică (ro) f (fox)
  • Romansch: chogna f, chagna f
  • Russian: су́ка (ru) f (súka), волчи́ца (ru) f (volčíca) (wolf), лиси́ца (ru) f (lisíca) (fox)
  • Sanskrit: श्वाना f (śvānā)
  • Scottish Gaelic: galla (gd) f
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: псица f, сука f, куја f, кучка f, хуса f, хујса f
    Roman: psica f, suka (sh) f, kuja (sh) f, kučka (sh) f, husa f, hujsa f
  • Slovak: fena (sk) f, suka (sk) f, vlčica f (wolf)
  • Slovene: psica (sl) f
  • Sorbian:
    Lower Sorbian: beja f
  • Spanish: perra (es) f (dog), zorra (es) f (fox), loba (es) f (wolf)
  • Swedish: tik (sv) c, hynda (sv) c
  • Taos: kwíanena
  • Telugu: ఆడకుక్క (te) (āḍakukka)
  • Turkish: kancık (tr) sg
  • Ugaritic: 𐎋𐎍𐎁𐎚 f (klbt)
  • Ukrainian: су́ка f (súka), су́чка f (súčka)
  • Volapük: jidog (vo) (dog), jilup (vo) (wolf), jirenar (fox)
  • Welsh: gast (cy) f, llwynoges f (fox)

disagreeable, aggressive person, usually female

  • Albanian: kurvë f
  • Armenian: քած (hy) (kʿac)
  • Belarusian: су́ка f (súka), сце́рва f (scjérva)
  • Breton: louskenn (br) f, liboudenn (br) f
  • Bulgarian: кучка (bg) f (kučka), курва (bg) f (kurva), развратница (bg) f (razvratnica)
  • Chinese:
    Cantonese: 衰婆 (seoi1 po2)
    Mandarin: 賤人贱人 (zh) (jiànrén), 婊子 (zh) (biǎozi), 娼婦娼妇 (zh) (chāngfù)
  • Czech: kurva (cs) f, běhna (cs) f, děvka (cs) f, šlapka (cs) f
  • Danish: kælling (da) c
  • Dutch: teef (nl) f, bitch (nl) f, trut (nl) f, kankerwijf f, kutwijf (nl) f, rotwijf (nl) f, kreng (nl) n
  • Esperanto: aĉulino, fiulino, harpio, megero
  • Finnish: narttu (fi), ämmä (fi)
  • French: garce (fr) f, rosse (fr) f, salope (fr) f
  • Galician: lurpia (gl) f
  • Georgian: ძუკნა (ʒuḳna), ბოზი (ka) (bozi)
  • German: Zicke (de) f, Schlampe (de) f, Miststück n
  • Greek: σκύλα (el) f (skýla)
  • Hebrew: כלבה‎ f (kalba)
  • Hungarian: kurva (hu), luvnya (hu), lotyó (hu), ribanc (hu), ribi (hu), ringyó (hu), szajha (hu)
  • Icelandic: tík (is) f
  • Indonesian: lonte (id), pelacur (id), bangsat (id)
  • Interlingua: puta (ia), putana
  • Italian: stronza (it) f, troia (it) f, puttana (it) f
  • Japanese: あばずれ (ja) (abazure) (various spellings), あま (ja) (ama) (various spellings), ズベ公 (zubekō)
  • Korean: 개년 (ko) (gaenyeon),  (ko) (nyeon)
  • Kyrgyz: канчык (ky) (kançık)
  • Latvian: kuce (lv) f, maita f
  • Lithuanian: kalė f
  • Macedonian: кучка f (kučka)
  • Malay: betina
  • Maltese: qaħba f
  • Middle English: bicche
  • Norwegian: tispe (no) f
  • Occitan: chispa f, solharda f
  • Old French: putain f
  • Persian: سلیطه (fa), پتیاره (fa), دریده (fa)
  • Polish: suka (pl) f, pinda (pl) f, bladź (pl) f
  • Portuguese: puta (pt) f, vagabunda (pt) f, vadia (pt) f
  • Romanian: cățea (ro) f
  • Russian: су́ка (ru) f (súka) (vulgar, colloquial), сте́рва (ru) f (stérva) (abusive), меге́ра (ru) f (megéra) (informal), су́чка (ru) (súčka) (vulgar, colloquial), ку́рва (ru) f (kúrva), блядь (ru) f (bljadʹ) (vulgar, abusive), па́дла (ru) m or f (pádla)
  • Scottish Gaelic: bidse f, nighean na galla f
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: кучка f, курва f
    Roman: kučka (sh) f, kurva (sh) f
  • Slovak: suka (sk) f, kurva f
  • Slovene: prasica f, kurba (sl) f
  • Spanish: perra (es) f, arpía (es) f, zorra (es) f
  • Swedish: slyna (sv) c, subba (sv) c, hynda (sv) c
  • Thai: อีดอก
  • Turkish: sürtük (tr), orospu (tr)
  • Ukrainian: су́ка f (súka), сте́рва f (stérva), су́чка f (súčka)
  • Uyghur: جالاپ(jalap)
  • Welsh: gast (cy) f
  • West Frisian: teef c
  • Yiddish: כּלבֿטע‎ f (klafte)

playful variation on dog (sense «man») see dog

References

  • Weisenberg, Michael (2000) The Official Dictionary of Poker. MGI/Mike Caro University. →ISBN

Verb

bitch (third-person singular simple present bitches, present participle bitching, simple past and past participle bitched)

  1. (vulgar, intransitive) To behave or act as a bitch.
  2. (vulgar, intransitive) To criticize spitefully, often for the sake of complaining rather than in order to have the problem corrected.

    All you ever do is bitch about the food I cook for you!

    • 2008, Patterson Hood, «The Righteous Path»:
      I ain’t bitching ’bout things that aren’t in my grasp
      Just trying to hold steady on the righteous path.
  3. (vulgar, transitive) To spoil, to ruin.
    • 1924, Ford Madox Ford, Some Do Not…, Penguin 2012 (Parade’s End), p. 162:
      ‘You’re a Franco-maniac…You’re thought to be a French agent…That’s what’s bitching your career!’
    • 1956, Ian Fleming, Diamonds are Forever, published 1965, page 100:

      «Shy Smile didn’t pay off.» «I know. The jockey bitched it. So what?»

Synonyms

  • (make derogatory comments): badmouth, slag off (UK), snipe
  • (complain spitefully): See Thesaurus:complain

Derived terms

  • bitch and moan
  • stitch and bitch

Translations

complain (about something) spitefully

  • Breton: klemm (br), soroc’hal (br), grozmolat (br)
  • Bulgarian: оплаквам се (oplakvam se)
  • Danish: klage (da)
  • Dutch: kankeren (nl)
  • Esperanto: plendaĉi
  • Finnish: haukkua (fi), nalkuttaa (fi)
  • French: chialer (fr), pester (fr), râler (fr), rouspéter (fr)
  • German: meckern (de), maulen (de)
  • Interlingua: querelar, lamentar
  • Macedonian: пла́че (pláče), се жа́ли (se žáli)
  • Maori: komekome
  • Persian: نق زدن (fa), غر زدن (fa)
  • Polish: psioczyć (pl) impf
  • Portuguese: choramingar (pt)
  • Russian: скули́ть (ru) impf (skulítʹ), пизде́ть (ru) impf (pizdétʹ) (vulgar)
  • Slovak: frfľať, sťažovať sa
  • Spanish: quejarse (es)
  • Swedish: gnälla (sv), klaga (sv), tjafsa (sv)
  • Turkish: deneme (tr)

References

  1. ^ Geoffrey Hughes, Encyclopedia of Swearing: The Social History of Oaths, Profanity, Foul Language, and Ethnic Slurs in the English-Speaking World, Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2006:
    The early applications were to a promiscuous or sensual woman, a metaphorical extension of the behavior of a bitch in heat. Herein lies the original point of the powerful insult son of a bitch, found as biche sone ca. 1330 in Arthur and Merlin … while in a spirited exchange in the Chester Play (ca. 1400) a character demands: “Whom callest thou queine, skabde bitch?” (“Who are you calling a whore, you miserable bitch?”).
  2. ^ A. F. Niemoeller, «A Glossary of Homosexual Slang,» Fact 2, no. 1 (Jan-Feb 1965): 25

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English bitch, from Middle English biche, bicche, from Old English biċċe, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bɪtʃ/
  • Hyphenation: bitch

Noun

bitch f (plural bitches, diminutive bitchje n)

  1. (derogatory) bitch (somewhat general term of abuse for a woman; disagreeable, assertive, aggressive or malicious woman)
    Synonyms: teef, trut, kreng
  2. (derogatory) bitch (person in a submissive or low-placed position)

  • bitchen

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English bitch, from Middle English biche, bicche, from Old English biċċe, from Proto-Germanic *bikjǭ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bitʃ/

Noun

bitch f (plural bitchs)

  1. bitch (disagreeable, despicable woman)

Categories:

  • English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
  • English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeg- (break)
  • English terms inherited from Middle English
  • English terms derived from Middle English
  • English terms inherited from Old English
  • English terms derived from Old English
  • English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
  • English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
  • English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
  • English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
  • English 1-syllable words
  • English terms with IPA pronunciation
  • English terms with audio links
  • Rhymes:English/ɪtʃ
  • Rhymes:English/ɪtʃ/1 syllable
  • English lemmas
  • English nouns
  • English uncountable nouns
  • English countable nouns
  • English dated terms
  • English terms with usage examples
  • English terms with archaic senses
  • English offensive terms
  • English vulgarities
  • English terms with quotations
  • en:LGBT
  • English slang
  • English derogatory terms
  • English prison slang
  • English terms with obsolete senses
  • English informal terms
  • English humorous terms
  • English colloquialisms
  • en:Card games
  • British English
  • en:Chess
  • English verbs
  • English intransitive verbs
  • English transitive verbs
  • English swear words
  • English terms of address
  • en:Dogs
  • en:Female animals
  • English contranyms
  • Dutch terms borrowed from English
  • Dutch terms derived from English
  • Dutch terms derived from Middle English
  • Dutch terms derived from Old English
  • Dutch terms derived from Proto-Germanic
  • Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation
  • Dutch terms with audio links
  • Dutch lemmas
  • Dutch nouns
  • Dutch feminine nouns
  • Dutch derogatory terms
  • French terms borrowed from English
  • French terms derived from English
  • French terms derived from Middle English
  • French terms derived from Old English
  • French terms derived from Proto-Germanic
  • French 1-syllable words
  • French terms with IPA pronunciation
  • French terms with audio links
  • French lemmas
  • French nouns
  • French countable nouns
  • French feminine nouns

The word bitch might seem innocent if it is used in certain contexts, but this word of the day can be very offensive. 

Below, we will teach you all about how the word bitch can be used in offensive and non-offensive ways. To ensure you don’t anger or offend anyone, read on to learn about the correct usage of the word bitch. 

What Does Bitch Mean?

The pronunciation of bitch is bɪtʃ.

According to the Dictionary, the word bitch has a few different potential meanings, many of which are offensive slang terms. 

A Female Dog

First, the term bitch can refer to a female dog. In the dog breeding industry, a breeder might refer to a female canine as a bitch. 

A Lewd Woman

More often, the term bitch is used as a slang term for a lewd woman or shrew. 

This term is considered very mean and offensive. Never call someone a bitch unless you are prepared for the consequences. Never use this term in a formal or professional setting.

Complaining

The slang word bitch can also be used as a verb for complaining or moaning. 

What About Bitchin’?

Funnily enough, people sometimes use the adjective “bitchin” to describe something good. 

As a rule of thumb, try to avoid all forms of the word bitch unless you are referring clearly and specifically to a female dog. 

What Is the Etymology of Bitch?

The word bitch has been in the English language for a long time, before the year 1000! 

Originally, this term was the Middle English bicche and Old English bicce, which come from the Old Norse bikkja.

How Can You Use Bitch in a Sentence?

Below, you will find several example sentences containing the word bitch. See if you can determine which definition of the word bitch is used in each of the following sentences. 

Bitch in a Sentence: Example 1

The man said very mean things about the woman who did not want to date him. He went around town calling her a real bitch and other offensive terms.

Question: What part of speech and definition is the word bitch in the above sentence?

Answer: Bitch is a noun that means a mean woman in the above sentence.

Bitch in a Sentence: Example 2

After the difficult exam, all of the students met back at the dormitory to bitch about it.

Question: What part of speech and definition is the word bitch in the above sentence?

Answer: Bitch is a verb that means to complain in the above sentence.

Bitch in a Sentence: Example 3

The dog owner was so excited to reunite her puppy with his mom, the main bitch at the breeder. 

Question: What part of speech and definition is the word bitch in the above sentence?

Answer: Bitch is a noun that means a female dog in the above sentence.

Bitch in a Sentence: Example 4

After he cut off the drunk people at the bar, the drunkards began calling the bartender a son of a bitch and other mean things.

Question: What part of speech and definition is the word bitch in the above sentence?

Answer: Bitch is a noun that means a mean woman in the above sentence.

What Are Translations of Bitch?

Outside of the English language, people can use the word bitch to refer to a mean woman. Despite gaining knowledge from these word lists, you should still avoid calling people bitches in any language. 

  • Hindi: कुतिया
  • Turkish: orospu
  • Telugu: బిచ్
  • Malayalam: പെണ്പട്ടി
  • Ukrainian: сука
  • Swedish: tik
  • Icelandic: tík
  • Bulgarian: Кучка
  • Portuguese (Portugal): cadela
  • Urdu: کتیا
  • Catalan: gossa
  • Malay: jalang
  • Japanese: 雌犬
  • Welsh: ast
  • Slovak: mrcha
  • Marathi: कुत्री
  • Bengali: দুশ্চরিত্রা
  • Hebrew: כַּלבָּה
  • Chinese (PRC): bit子
  • Polish: suka
  • Finnish: narttu
  • German: Hündin
  • Vietnamese: chó cái
  • Kannada: ಗಡಿ
  • Danish: tæve
  • Hungarian: kurva
  • Russian: сука
  • Lithuanian: kalė
  • Italian: cagna
  • Czech: fena
  • Serbian: кучко
  • Slovenian: psica
  • Dutch: teef
  • Latvian: kuce
  • Gujarati: કૂતરી
  • Filipino: Bitch
  • Thai: ผู้หญิงเลว
  • Spanish: perra
  • Basque: txakur eme
  • Norwegian: tispe
  • Portuguese (Brazil): cadela
  • Tamil: பிச்
  • Amharic: ብሬክ
  • Romanian: căţea
  • Arabic: عاهرة
  • Chinese (Taiwan): bit子
  • Estonian: lits
  • Korean: 암캐
  • Croatian: kuja
  • Swahili: Bitch
  • Indonesian: jalang
  • Greek: σκύλα
  • French: chienne

What Are Synonyms of Bitch?

Since the word bitch is a slang term and very offensive, it is not always appropriate to use this word. 

If you are looking for a different way to say the word bitch, you can utilize this list of synonyms of bitch from Power Thesaurus. Be careful: many of these terms are also mean or offensive. Do not use offensive terms, or people might be very angry with you.

  • backbite
  • beef
  • bellyache
  • bleat
  • bowwow
  • carp
  • complain
  • crab
  • cunt
  • dog
  • gripe
  • groan
  • grouch
  • grouse
  • grumble
  • harridan
  • holler
  • hooker
  • kick
  • kvetch
  • moan
  • pooch
  • protest
  • she-devil
  • shrew
  • slut
  • squawk
  • termagant
  • tramp
  • virago
  • vixen
  • whine
  • whinge

What Are the Antonyms of Bitch?

People would love to be described as the opposite of a bitch! To learn all of the ways you could refer to someone who is very nice or saintly, you can use this list of antonyms of bitch from Power Thesaurus. 

  • angel
  • apostle
  • apotheosis
  • beatify
  • blessed
  • canonize
  • canonized
  • consecrate
  • enshrine
  • hallow
  • holy
  • holy man
  • holy person
  • ideal
  • martyr
  • model
  • nonesuch
  • nonpareil
  • nonsuch
  • paragon
  • pietist
  • sacred
  • saint
  • sainted
  • saintly

Conclusion

The word bitch has a few different definitions, most of which are offensive. 

The only non-offensive definition of the word bitch is a female dog, mainly used in the dog breeding industry. Second, the word bitch is a noun that refers to a shrewish or malicious woman. 

Third, bitch can be used as a verb to mean to complain. Finally, the term bitchin means fun or excellent. Try to avoid using the term bitch, because people can find it very offensive. 

Sources:

​​Bitch synonyms – 1 030 Words and Phrases for Bitch | Power Thesaurus 

Bitch antonyms – 667 Opposites of Bitch | Power Thesaurus 

Bitch Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com 

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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

Don't make me kill youДавайте забудем про формальный английский язык и немного уйдем в сторону плохих слов.

Сегодня речь пойдет о таком плохом словечке, как bitch, которое без сомнения употребляется повсеместно во всех его сложных смыслах. Это слово не такое простое, каким кажется. Перевод этого слова на русский язык иногда бывает затруднительным для новичков в конкретном контексте.

BITCH — это сильное слово. Оно может использоваться, как существительное, глагол или прилагательное. Этот факт затрудняет понимание у всех, кто начинает учить английский язык. Оно может иметь игривый, сексуальный или жестокий подтекст. Это слово может быть как обидным, так и нейтральным. Но в 99% случаев bitch не переводится, как «prostitute» (проститутка). Вот что написано в «Википедии» по этому поводу:

«The word “bitch“, literally meaning a female dog, is a common slang term in the English language, especially used as a denigrating term applied to a person, commonly a woman. It often refers to someone who is belligerent, unreasonable, rudely intrusive or aggressive».

В литературе словом bitch обозначают собаку (сучку), это общеупотребительное ругательное слово, применимое в основном к женщине. Это слово часто относится к тому, кто ведет себя агрессивно, необоснованно, навязчиво и грубо.

Словом bitch можно характеризовать женщину в трех случаях:

1. Если женщина крайне неприятная и даже раздражающая. На самом деле невежливо называть женщину этим словом, но оно звучит лучше, чем (whore).

Пример:

He didn’t leave a tip at the restaurant because he said that his waitress WAS A BITCH.

I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s BEING A BITCH.

На заметку: «She is a bitch» (постоянно) звучит обиднее, чем “she is being a bitch” (временное состояние). То есть в первом случае вы хотите сказать, что эта особа стерва по жизни, а во втором случае имеете в виду, что она просто повела себя, как стерва один или несколько раз.

2. A Prostitute (проститутка). Похоже, что единственный случай употребления bitch в значении prostitute — это рэп-музыка. Вообще там это слово используется в сомнительном и сложном значении, которое даже трудно объяснить.

3. Напористая, самоуверенная и сильная женщина. Такое определение больше подходит для феминисток, которые ставят под сомнение существование мужчин.

Песня Мередит Брукс очень хороший пример такого перевода слова:

So take me as I am
This may mean you’ll have to be a stronger man
Rest assured that when I start to make you nervous
And I’m going to extremes
Tomorrow I will change
And today won’t mean a thing

Это больше происходит в игривой форме, не очень обидное слово. Так говорят человеку, который всячески пытается угодить другому, забывая про свою честь и достоинство. В этом случае со словом bitch используется притяжательное местоимение.

Например:

I do everything for my boss. My friends at work tell me that I’M HIS BITCH.

Иногда еще говорят “he’s being a little bitch”. Это означает, что человек крайне неприятный, и с ним нежелательно иметь дело.

В качестве примера можно привести фразу из известной песни Пинк «Just like a pill»:

I said I tried to call the nurse again but she’s being a little bitch.

Я пыталась позвать медсестру снова, но она ведет себя, как стерва.

Прилагательное bitchy

Bitch, как мы уже выяснили, имеет несколько значений. Однако производное от него прилагательное bitchy имеет значение именно «неприятный» и «раздражающий».

Например: «You’re being really bitchy today. Why can’t you be nicer to me?» Это не самый вежливый способ излагать свое мнение и довольно обидный.

Bitch в роли глагола

В разговорном языке глагол bitch имеет то же значение, что и complain (жаловаться). Так говорят о человеке, который слишком много жалуется, при этом еще часто используют глагол moan вместе с bitch. Но на самом деле это не такое обидное словечко (хотя зависит от интонации), и оно часто используется в неформальной беседе.

Например:

I wish people would just stop BITCHING AND MOANING about corruption in politics and do something about it.

Bitch pleaseBitch Please!

Употребляется, когда мы не верим тому, что говорит какой-то человек. Например, в ответ на тупой комментарий или просто в забавной форме ответить таким образом «нет». Это также типичное выражение неформальной английской речи.

bitch someone out

наорать на кого-то за то, что он сделал что-то неправильно, не так, как надо, плохо и т. д.

Например:

My boss BITCHED ME OUT for being 10 minutes late.

Это не обидное выражение, но его употребление возможно только в разговорной речи.

Bitchin’, как прилагательное, имеет обратное значение: что-то хорошее, отличное и так далее. Не путайте с bitchy!

The Real Life English party was BITCHIN’!

Грамматически,конечно, правильно bitcing, но мы говорим bitchin. Это еще одно чисто разговорное выражение.

life’s a bitch

Типичная форма нытья о жизни: о том, что она трудная, непростая и т. д. Необязательно жаловаться на жизнь, называть словом bitch можно что угодно. Это происходит, когда приходится сталкиваться с проблемами или просто неприятными реалиями.

Calculus is a BITCH. Monday morning is a BITCH.

Word BITCH
Character 5
Hyphenation bitch
Pronunciations /bɪt͡s/

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What do we mean by bitch?

A female canine animal, especially a dog. noun

A woman considered to be mean, overbearing, or contemptible. noun

A prostitute considered in relation to a pimp. noun

A person in a subservient sexual role, especially an incarcerated male who provides sex to another male under threat of violence or in exchange for protection. noun

A person who is submissive to another, usually by performing menial or unpleasant tasks. noun

A man considered to be weak or contemptible. noun

A complaint. noun

Something very unpleasant or difficult. noun

To complain; grumble. intransitive verb

To botch; bungle. Often used with up. intransitive verb

To reprimand loudly or harshly. phrasal verb

Plural A set of three chains for slinging pipes. noun

The female of the dog; also, by extension, the female of other canine animals, as of the wolf and fox. noun

A coarse name of reproach for a woman. noun

To complain in a whining or grumbling manner; to gripe. intransitive verb

The female of the canine kind, as of the dog, wolf, and fox. noun

An opprobrious name for a woman, especially a lewd woman. noun

An unpleasant, malicious, or offensive person. noun

Something difficult or unpleasant. noun

(dog-breeding) A female dog or other canine, particularly a recent mother.

A promiscuous woman, slut, whore.

A despicable or disagreeable, aggressive person, usually a woman.

A woman.

A man considered weak, effeminate, timid or pathetic in some way

A submissive person who does what others want; a man forced or coerced into a homoerotic relationship.

(of a man) A playful variation on dog (sense «man»).

(used with a possessive pronoun) Friend.

A complaint, especially when the complaint is unjustified.

(usually only used in the singular) A difficult or confounding problem.

A queen (playing card), particularly the queen of spades in the card game of hearts.

Something unforgiving and unpleasant.

Place; situation

One of the most versatile words in the english language; it is used to express a multitude of emotions; anger, anticipation, despair, endearment, envy, excitement, fear, horror, joy, shock, surprise, warning; all achieved by one’s enunciation and intonation. Urban Dictionary

You Urban Dictionary

A bitch is just a bully in a skirt.
Like any bully, she won’t lay off until you stand up to her.
Like any classic bully, she thinks she’s tough until her victim fights back. When a victim successfully fights back, the classy bully’s demeanor turns from wannabe tough to whiny crybaby. i.e. — a classic bitch
And we’ve come full circle. Urban Dictionary

Me, myself, and i Urban Dictionary

Not gender specific. Someone with no moral integrity who is only seeking to further their own agenda. One who makes bitch moves. Cowardly and spineless.
Sucker punching someone when they’re not looking.
Framing someone else for something you did.
Refusing to pay someone what they’re owed just because you can.
Sleeping with your buddy’s girl.
Witnessing the rape or assault of a woman and not doing anything to stop it.
Committing a hit and run.
Picking on the defenseless or any type of bullying Urban Dictionary

A person — who could be of either gender, but stereotypically is a woman — who allows their spur-of-the-moment negative emotional reactions to play far too large a role in their dealings with others.
The most recognizable characteristic of a bitch is a high volume of largely unmerited complaints about others. To qualify for bitchhood, these must be a conspicuously frequent feature of her conversation, and must strike most non-bitches as exaggerated if not completely unwarranted, at least occasionally to the point of making a big deal of things that strike most others as completely innocuous.
Note that a frank but perceptive critic of others is not thereby a bitch, even if completely lacking an internal censor. Bitches frequently think of themselves as such people, but in reality they have the frankness, but not the perceptiveness.
The bitch will often come across abrasive and unreasonable, except to authority figures who can benefit her. Most are narcissistic and/or hypocritical; favourite tactics include characterizing things as horrible moral wrongs which are unobjectionable save that they inconvenience him or her personally, and complaining that someone else has been rude to them, in terms that are vastly more rude than anything the complainee has actually done.
This is not the worst thing you can call someone, but it’s about the worst thing I would call anyone I might nevertheless be willing to voluntarily spend time around. Urban Dictionary

A woman that has the social skills of a Hitler. Urban Dictionary

Anyone who takes pride in pissing you off. Urban Dictionary

A woman that dominates,controls and destroys a mans finances,mental health,self esteem and any hope for happiness Urban Dictionary

To complain Urban Dictionary

one of the most versatile words in the english language; it is used to express a multitude of emotions; anger, anticipation, despair, endearment, envy, excitement, fear, horror, joy, shock, surprise, warning; all achieved by one’s enunciation and intonation.

Endearment: Hey bitch!

Joy: Oh my god, bitch!

Anticipation: Bitch, guess what?

Shock/Pain: Stubs toe Ah, bitch!

Envy: She’s SUCH a BITCH.

Fear: Bitch. What was that noise?

Surprise: BITCH!

Warning: Bitch. Don’t try me.

Despair: Biiiitch.

Get the bitch mug.

A bitch is just a bully in a skirt.

Like any bully, she won’t lay off until you stand up to her.

Like any classic bully, she thinks she’s tough until her victim fights back. When a victim successfully fights back, the classy bully’s demeanor turns from wannabe tough to whiny crybaby. i.e. — a classic bitch

And we’ve come full circle.

A female bully is a bitch.

Female bullies typically attack you behind your back, trying to ruin your reputation with others. That’s their favorite tactic. More confrontational bullies will also attack you openly, in your face.

As with any bully, you cannot appease the bitch by turning the other cheek, being passive, letting it go, etc. Those passive behaviors show weakness, which attracts bullies to attack you more.

There is no way to humor a bully for very long.

There will be no end the attacks and bullying, until you stand up to the bully, or permanently leave. Though often they won’t let you leave until after you’ve stood up to them.

Since bitches are just female bullies, they are like any other bully. Once you realize that, you know who you’re dealing with.

Get the bitch mug.

Not gender specific. Someone with no moral integrity who is only seeking to further their own agenda. One who makes bitch moves. Cowardly and spineless.

Sucker punching someone when they’re not looking.

Framing someone else for something you did.

Refusing to pay someone what they’re owed just because you can.

Sleeping with your buddy’s girl.

Witnessing the rape or assault of a woman and not doing anything to stop it.

Committing a hit and run.

Picking on the defenseless or any type of bullying

Get the bitch mug.

A person — who could be of either gender, but stereotypically is a woman — who allows their spur-of-the-moment negative emotional reactions to play far too large a role in their dealings with others.

The most recognizable characteristic of a bitch is a high volume of largely unmerited complaints about others. To qualify for bitchhood, these must be a conspicuously frequent feature of her conversation, and must strike most non-bitches as exaggerated if not completely unwarranted, at least occasionally to the point of making a big deal of things that strike most others as completely innocuous.

Note that a frank but perceptive critic of others is not thereby a bitch, even if completely lacking an internal censor. Bitches frequently think of themselves as such people, but in reality they have the frankness, but not the perceptiveness.

The bitch will often come across abrasive and unreasonable, except to authority figures who can benefit her. Most are narcissistic and/or hypocritical; favourite tactics include characterizing things as horrible moral wrongs which are unobjectionable save that they inconvenience him or her personally, and complaining that someone else has been rude to them, in terms that are vastly more rude than anything the complainee has actually done.

This is not the worst thing you can call someone, but it’s about the worst thing I would call anyone I might nevertheless be willing to voluntarily spend time around.

One of our friends is homeless at the moment, so we were going to let him do volunteer work instead of paying for the convention, but this one bitch complained that it was somehow unfair that she had to pay and he didn’t.

When I mentioned my money problems, she just insinuated that they were my own fault, but when her parents threatened to cut her allowance the bitch wouldn’t stop whining about it. She’d still have had more money than me, too.

Get the bitch mug.

1

: the female of the dog or some other carnivorous mammals

The behavioral endocrinology of both male dogs and bitches is quite unique and differs from that of most other mammals …Ian Dunbar

compare dog entry 1 sense 1b

2

a

informal + often offensive

: a malicious, spiteful, or overbearing woman

b

informal + offensive


used as a generalized term of abuse and disparagement for a woman

3

informal

: something that is extremely difficult, objectionable, or unpleasant

Aspirin overdoses are a bitch to treat.Pamela Grim

July and August were always a bitch in the subway.Harold Robbins

4

informal

: complaint

«My biggest bitch with all of CBS’ golf is there’s no personalization.»Chuck Howard

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Noun



That word is a bitch to spell.



tiresome members of the tour group who had one bitch after another

Verb



He bitched constantly about his old car, but he doesn’t like his new one either.



those guys are always bitching about something

Recent Examples on the Web



Everybody’s bitching about the government regulating fisheries.


Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2023


These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘bitch.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bicche, going back to Old English bicce, perhaps going back to a Germanic noun with varying final consonants and inflectional class, whence Old Norse bikkja «female dog,» German (from 15th century) Petze, Betze

Verb

derivative of bitch entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of bitch was
before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bitch

Cite this Entry

“Bitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bitch. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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