About Kristy Lashbaugh Expertise I can answer questions about the meaning, usage, and source of English vocabulary. I have no formal training in Latin. My experience with Latin consists of Latin Morphemes in word study. For Latin translations (or other translations) I recommend finding another expert. I'll do what I can to help, but am limited in these areas.
Experience English degree with extensive background in romance languages including French and Spanish
Education/Credentials B.A. English, Additional Coursework in psychology, philosophy.
Question Which came first, pussy cat or pussy in relation to a woman? How are these 2 related and what is the origin?
Thank you
Answer From the oxford english dictionary earliest reference to "puss" the root of pussy dates to 1530 referring to a cat. "pussy" referring to a woman or girl back to 1583, but NOT pejorative. It didn't become common as a euphemism for the female pudendum until the late 19th century.
Puss (root of pussy)
1. a. A conventional proper name of a cat; usually, a call-name.
a1530 HEYWOOD Johan & Tyb (Brandl) 590, I haue sene the day that pus my cat Hath had in a yere kytlyns eyghtene. 1565 K. Daryus (ibid.) 181, I can fere the knaues with my grannams Cat. Pusse pusse, where art thou? 1568 Jacob & Esau II. iv. in Hazlitt Dodsley II. 223 Esau left not so much [of the pottage] as a lick for puss, our cat. 1591 PERCIVALL Sp. Dict., Miça, the terme to call a cat, as we saie ‘pusse’. 1648 HERRICK Hesper., His Age 89 Fore~telling..weather by our aches... True Calenders, as Pusses eare Washt o're, to tell what change is neare. 1712 E. COOKE Voy. S. Sea 214 The Spaniards, when they call them, say Miz, as we do Puss. 1841 S. WARREN Ten Thousand a Year xxxvi, ‘Poor puss!’ he exclaimed, stroking her.
Pussy
3. a. Applied to a girl or woman: cf. PUSS n.1 3. Also, a finicky, old-maidish, or effeminate boy or man; a homosexual.
1583 STUBBES Anat. Abus. (1877) I. 97 You shall haue euery sawcy boy..to catch vp a woman & marie her... So he haue his pretie pussie to huggle withall, it forceth not. 1852 MRS. STOWE Uncle Tom's C. xvi, ‘What do you think, pussy?’ said her father to Eva. 1870 DICKENS E. Drood ii, I'd Pussy you, young man, if I was Pussy, as you call her. 1925 S. LEWIS Martin Arrowsmith vi. 65 You ought to hear some of the docs that are the sweetest old pussies with their patientsthe way they bawl out the nurses. 1932 A. CHRISTIE Thirteen Problems xi. 193 ‘The dame de compagnie, you described, I think, as a pussy, Mrs. Bantry?’ ‘I didn't mean a cat, you know,’ said Mrs. Bantry. ‘It's quite different. Just a big soft white purry person. Always very sweet.’ 1941 N or M? iii. 38 Old boarding-house pussies. Nothing to do but gossip and knit. 1942 BERREY & VAN DEN BARK Amer. Thes. Slang §405/2 Pussy, an effeminate boy. 1952 M. TRIPP Faith is Windsock iv. 73 ‘Your rear gunner is a hit with the ladies.’ ‘Jake knows how to make the pussies purr; it's an old Jamaican custom.’ a1957 J. CARY Captive & Free (1959) x. 50 Some of those old pussies, especially the males, are just longing to put you in a corner. 1958 L. DURRELL Mountolive viii. 157 ‘I first met Henry James in a brothel in Algiers. He had a naked houri on each knee.’ ‘Henry James was a pussy, I think.’
