Pussy

The word pussy is a noun, an adjective, and in rare uses a verb in the English language. It has several meanings, including use as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. Because of its multiple senses including both innocent and vulgar connotations, it is often the subject of double entendre.

The etymology of the word is not entirely clear. Several different senses of the word have different histories or origins.

Common meanings of the noun include "cat", "coward or weakling", and "the human vulva or vagina", or as a synecdoche, "sexual intercourse with a woman". Adjective meanings are related to the noun. As a homograph, pussy also has the meaning "containing pus"; with this meaning, the word is pronounced /ˈpʌsɪ/, while the other forms are all pronounced /ˈpʊsɪ/. Another adjective is the rare or obsolete Northern English dialect form pursy meaning "fat" or "short-winded". Meanings of the verb relate to the common noun senses, including "to act like a cat", "to act like a coward", or "to have sex with a woman".