poop

poop · verb, noun, interjection¹

1. Middle English · inherited frompoupen“to make a gulping sound while drinking, blow on a horn, toot”
2. English todaypoop

Uncertain, possibly from Middle English poupen (“to make a gulping sound while drinking, blow on a horn, toot”). Compare Dutch poepen (“to defecate”), German Low German pupen (“to fart; break wind”). Also representing poo pronounced with the mouth snapped closed at the end.

poop · noun²

Recorded in World War II (1941) Army slang poop sheet (“up-to-date information”), itself of uncertain origin, perhaps toilet paper (referring to etymology 1).

poop · verb³

Uncertain, perhaps sound imitation.

poop · noun, verb⁴

1. Latin · derived frompuppis
2. Vulgar Latin · derived from*puppa
3. Italian · derived frompoppa
4. Old French · derived frompope
5. Middle English · inherited frompoupe
6. English todaypoop

From Middle English poupe, pope, from Old French pope, poupe, pouppe, from Italian poppa, from Vulgar Latin *puppa, from Latin puppis, all meaning “stern of a ship”.

poop · noun⁵

Uncertain, perhaps a shortening of nincompoop.

poop · noun⁶

1. French · borrowed frompoupe
2. English todaypoop

Likely from French poupe; see poppyhead.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 14th c. To make a short blast on a horn.
• from 18th c. To break wind.
• from the 18th c. Fecal matter; feces.
• from early 20th c. To tire, exhaust.