sissy
Americannoun
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Disparaging and Offensive. an effeminate boy or man.
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a timid or cowardly person.
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a sister, especially a younger sister.
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sissy
Explanation
Sissy is a derogatory name for someone, especially a man or boy, who seems weak or cowardly, or who acts in a stereotypically feminine way. People who call others sissies aren't just insulting the so-called sissy. They're also implying that there is something weak and fearful about being a girl or a woman — it's the same as telling a boy, "You throw like a girl." It's unkind and also inaccurate. Sissy comes from sister, and its earliest use to mean "effeminate man" was in the late 1800s.
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.
“Kiss of the Spider Woman” is about a lot of things: Valentin reconnecting with his emotions, Luis discovering that he’s more than a self-described trivial sissy.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025
In addition, the Chopper is sporting many customized features: a long-and-low banana seat that’s supported by a custom stainless-steel sissy bar, and a high-rise handlebar that creates a comfortable riding position for laid-back cruising.
From The Verge • Aug. 9, 2021
“You worried so much about me, but look sissy, I didn’t turn out too bad,” Barnes said as she displayed the black gown she was just donned with.
From Washington Times • Feb. 20, 2021
“I was never ashamed of being a sissy, and I wore the bullying as a badge of honor,” he writes.
From Washington Post • Nov. 1, 2019
I’m afraid he’ll laugh at me, he’ll despise me for being a sissy about a bunch of girls, for making a fuss about nothing.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
