four-letter word

[fawr-let-er, fohr-]

noun

1. any of a number of short words, usually of four letters, considered offensive or vulgar because of their reference to excrement or sex.

2. any word, typically of four letters, that represents something forbidden, disliked, or regarded with extreme distaste.

   In the dieter's vocabulary, “cake” is a four-letter word.

four-letter word

noun

1. any of several short English words referring to sex or excrement: often used as swearwords and regarded generally as offensive or obscene

Word History and Origins

Origin of four-letter word¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

Any of several short English words that are generally regarded as vulgar or obscene. For example, No four-letter words are permitted in this classroom. This expression is applied mostly to words describing excretory or sexual functions. [First half of 1900s]

Related Words

• expletive 
• obscenity 
• profanity 
• vulgarity