pussy

pussy · noun, verb¹

From puss (“cat”) + -y (diminutive suffix). Usage of the word to refer to a coward may be influenced by pusillanimous.

pussy · adjective²

From pus + -y.

pussy · adjective³

A variant of pursy with dialectal assimilation of /ɹ/ before a coronal consonant.

Pussy · proper noun⁴

1. French · borrowed fromPussy
2. English todayPussy

From French Pussy, claimed to be from an inherited Roman personal name Pussius.

First known use, by meaning

• from 17th c. A cat.
• from 17th c. The female genitalia; the vulva or vagina.
• from 19th c. Anything soft and furry; a bloom form, or catkin, as on the pussy willow.
• from 20th c. Sexual intercourse with a female; usually in the phrase get some pussy.
• from 20th c. A coward; a weakling; an ineffectual, timid, weak-spirited, or pathetic person.
• from 16th c. A woman or girl, seen as having characteristics associated with cats such as sweetness.