pussy
1 Americannoun
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Informal. a cat, especially a kitten.
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Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a timid, passive person, especially a man.
noun
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the vulva.
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sexual intercourse with a woman.
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Disparaging and Offensive. women collectively, regarded as sex objects.
adjective
noun
adjective
Usage
What else does pussy mean? Content warning: the following content includes references to offensive, sexual, and sexist language. Pussy is a pet name for a domestic cat, vulgar slang for the vagina, and a term of abuse for a coward.
Etymology
Origin of pussy1
First recorded in 1560–70; puss 1 + -y 2
Origin of pussy2
First recorded in 1690–1700; perhaps from Dutch poesje, a diminutive of poes “cat; vulva,” akin to Low German pūse “vulva,” Old English pusa “bag”; perhaps directly from pussy 1 ( def. ); see also purse
Origin of pussy3
Explanation
Pussy can be an affectionate term for a kitty-cat, a dirty word for a woman’s private parts, or an adjective that describes something that contains pus — that oozing yellow stuff that comes out of a cut. You might have heard your elderly neighbor refer to her cat as a "pussycat." And in her most tender moments, you might have heard her in the yard, saying, “Here, pussy-pussy.” That’s because pussy is another word for cat. It’s also a word for a woman’s genitals. Generally, it’s considered offensive when it refers to a woman’s body. It’s probably not a word you should say to your math teacher or your mother. Unless you’re talking about the neighbor’s cat.
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.
The show will feature like-minded peers including B-Real of Cypress Hill, Pussy Riot, K.Flay and visual artist Shepard Fairey.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025
When Nadya Tolokonnikova, one of founding members of the anti-establishment punk collective Pussy Riot, reached out to John Caldwell on Discord, an encrypted messaging app, he asked if she was a bot.
From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024
During one of these arrests in December 2021, Shtein, along with another Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina, went on hunger strike.
From Reuters • Nov. 7, 2023
Pussy Riot lead singer Nadya Tolokonnikova has earned that designation with the band’s radical feminist protests, often in opposition to President Vladimir Putin.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023
"Dry up, Pussy; don't be a little duffer," said her brother, kindly.
From The Strand Magazine, Volume XXVII, Issue 160, April, 1904 by Various
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.
