French

Noun

putain f ‎(plural putains)

1. (vulgar) whore, hooker
2. (derogatory, vulgar, slang) bitch, cow (an unpleasant woman)
3. bloody, ****

   Éteins cette putain de télé!‎

   Turn off that bloody TV!

Usage notes

• This noun is followed by de and a noun in the meaning of bloody and ****.

Synonyms

• (whore, unpleasant woman): pute

Interjection

putain

1. (vulgar) ****, **** ****, bloody ****

Derived terms

• putain de bordel de merde
• putain de merde

Norman

Etymology

From Old French putain.

Noun

putain f ‎(plural putains)

1. (Jersey) whore

Synonyms

• chèrch'rêsse

Old French

Etymology

From pute with the suffix -ain, -aine ^[1], or from Vulgar Latin putta/*puttāna, from Latin puta ‎(“girl”).^[2]. Compare Old Provençal putan(a). Latin putta ‎(“prostitute”) is attested in the sixth century (Gregory of Tours). The change of meaning from "girl" to "prostitute" is due to euphemism, a process that is well known to other periods and languages.^[3]

Noun

putain f ‎(oblique plural putains, nominative singular pute, nominative plural putains)

1. (vulgar) whore, prostitute

Descendants

• French: pute, putain

References

1. ↑ http://atilf.atilf.fr/dendien/scripts/tlfiv5/advanced.exe?8;s=250681320;
2. ↑ http://www.etimo.it/?term=puttana
3. ↑ “puttana” in: Alberto Nocentini, Alessandro Parenti, “l'Etimologico — Vocabolario della lingua italiana”, Le Monnier, 2010, ISBN 978-88-00-20781-2

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

putain m

1. genitive singular of putan ‎(“button, key”)

Welsh

Pronunciation

Noun

putain f (plural puteiniaid)

1. prostitute, harlot, whore

Mutation