cuckold
- the husband of an unfaithful wife.
- to make a cuckold of (a husband).
Origin of cuckold
Examples from the Web for cuckold
Contemporary Examples
By definition, of course, a cuckold is the “husband of an adulteress.”
Historical Examples
How long was she going to bother herself in her cuckold's behalf?
I knew what I was about, and did not fear to be made a cuckold in spite of myself.
The Memoires of Casanova, CompleteJacques Casanova de Seingalt
Speak, I say, have you considered what it is to cuckold your husband?
The Comedies of William CongreveWilliam Congreve
Right; and who so fit to make a man a Cuckold, as hee that keepes his wife?
Kemps Nine Daies WonderWilliam Kemp
And while the Colonel laughed at the cuckold, the cuckold laughed at the dupe.
Eugene Aram, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
cuckold
- a man whose wife has committed adultery, often regarded as an object of scorn
- (tr) to make a cuckold of
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for cuckold
n.
mid-13c., kukewald, from Old French cucuault, from cocu (see cuckoo) + pejorative suffix -ault, of Germanic origin. So called from the female bird's alleged habit of changing mates, or her authentic habit of leaving eggs in another bird's nest.
In Modern French the identity is more obvious: Coucou for the bird and cocu for the betrayed husband. German Hahnrei (13c.), from Low German, is of obscure origin. The second element seems to be connected to words for "ardent," and suggests perhaps "sexually aggressive hen," with transferal to humans, but Kluge suggests rather a connection to words for "capon" and "castrated." Related: Cuckoldry.
v.
1580s, from cuckold (n.). Related: Cuckolded; cuckolding.