Word
cunt
US/ˈkənt/
UK/kˈʌnt/
Definitions
01female genitalia
n. a very vulgar and offensive word for the female sex organs.
n. an extremely taboo and vulgar anatomical reference to the female genitalia, specifically the vulva.
“The historical text contained the word cunt as a vulgar anatomical reference.”
“Lexicographers observe that while cunt originally denoted female anatomy, social taboos turned it into the most severely censured profanity in modern English.”
Vulgar
Teaching tip
This is considered an extremely crude and taboo term for the female anatomy; learners should always use standard anatomical terms like vulva or vagina instead.
02offensive person
n. a very rude and offensive word for a person you strongly dislike.
n. a highly offensive and taboo epithet used to describe a person perceived as extremely unpleasant or contemptible.
“He was being a total cunt to the waiter for no reason at all.”
“The witness described the defendant as a manipulative cunt who had systematically alienated every member of his own family.”
Vulgar
Usage
In American English, it is often directed at women and carries intense misogynistic force; in British and Australian English, it is frequently directed at men.
Teaching tip
This is considered one of the most offensive words in the English language; learners should avoid using it as it can lead to extreme social or professional consequences.
03difficult thing
n. a very rude way to describe a difficult task or an annoying object.
n. a vulgar metonym for a difficult, frustrating, or intractable situation or object.
“This car is a real cunt to start when it is cold outside.”
“The mechanic muttered that the rusted bolt was a right cunt to remove without breaking the surrounding housing.”
Vulgar · British English
Teaching tip
Chiefly heard in informal British and Commonwealth English; inappropriate in any formal or polite setting.
04excellent or stylish
adj. a slang word used to describe something as very good or impressive.
adj. a vulgar slang intensifier used to denote excellence or high quality, particularly within certain subcultures.
“That new outfit you are wearing is absolutely cunt.”
“The performance was described by fans as 'serving cunt', a specific slang expression used to praise someone's fierce or impressive appearance.”
Slang · Vulgar
Usage
Most commonly encountered in the phrasal idiom 'serving cunt' in fashion, ballroom, and internet subcultures.
Teaching tip
Although celebrated within specific subcultures as high praise, it remains deeply offensive to the general public.
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English cunte, queynt, queynte, from Old English cunte, from Proto-West Germanic kuntā, from Proto-Germanic *kuntǭ. Cognate with West Frisian kunte, Middle Dutch conte (Dutch kont (“butt”)), dialectal Swedish kunta, dialectal Danish kunte, and Icelandic kunta. A relationship to Latin cunnus has not been conclusively shown. Lexicographer Partridge suggests cuneus (“a wedge”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
berk — cunt
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cunt