fanny
Americannoun
plural
fanniesnoun
-
taboo the female genitals
-
the buttocks
Usage
Despite the theory that this word derives from the name `Fanny', its use in British English is still considered taboo by many people, and is likely to cause offence. In the US the word refers to the buttocks. Serious misunderstanding may therefore arise when what people in Britain know as a `bumbag' is referred to in the US as a `fanny pack'
Etymology
Origin of fanny
1925–30; of obscure origin; relation, if any, to British fanny “vulva” (vulgar) is unclear
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Accessories include a pair of headphones, sunglasses, a fanny pack and an “I Promise” wristband.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2025
The detour into stunt work in the U.S. and Hong Kong kept his skills sharp, and the Daniels showcased his expertise with the fanny pack fight in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
From Salon • Feb. 7, 2025
Ken Jeong is unfrozen into a present day full of miracles: fanny packs, drone delivery, Popeyes’ new chicken wings.
From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2024
One speaker, clad in an American flag shirt and sparkly fanny pack, boasted of having driven his Kennedy bus up from Tampa, Florida, for the event.
From Slate • Oct. 10, 2023
She fell on her fanny in the middle of her solo and was miserable for days.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
