Etymology

nancy

nan·cy
N1A1N1C3Y4

Today it means: An effeminate man, especially a homosexual. Full definition →

French Nancy ← Medieval Latin Nanciacum ← Old High German Nanzig
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nancy · noun1

From Nancy, pet form of the female given names Agnes and Anne, under influence from earlier nan (“serving girl, maid; male homosexual”), itself from Nan, another pet form of the same names. Compare Mary.

Nancy · proper noun, noun2

Medieval diminutive of Ann and Agnes. Compare Betsy, Patsy.

Nancy · proper noun3

  1. Old High German · derived fromNanzig
  2. Medieval Latin · derived fromNanciacum
  3. French · borrowed fromNancy
  4. English todayNancy

From French Nancy, from Medieval Latin Nanciacum, from Old High German Nanzig.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.