fanny

See also: Fanny and Fanný

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfæni/
• Rhymes: -æni

• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (AU)

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Etymology 1

19th century. Ultimately from Fanny, pet form of the name Frances. Compare dick, John Thomas, mickey.

Noun

fanny (countable and uncountable, plural fannies)

1. (British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, vulgar) The female genitalia. [from 1830s]

   Her dress was so short you could nearly see her fanny.

2. (Canada, US, informal) The buttocks; arguably the most nearly polite of several euphemisms. [from 1910s]

   Children, sit down on your fannies, and eat your lunch.

   Get off your fanny and get back to work!

3. (UK, vulgar) Sexual intercourse with a woman.

   get some fanny tonight

4. (UK, vulgar, uncountable) Women, regarded as sex objects.

   This club is full of fanny.

Usage notes

In North American usage, this is the mildest of euphemisms referring to the buttocks, suitable for use when speaking to small children. Elsewhere, it is a vulgar direct reference to female genitalia and sexuality.

Synonyms

• (vulva or vagina): bearded clam, beaver, beef curtains, box, bush, clunge, cock socket, cooch, coochie, cooter, cunt, flange, flaps, front bottom, front bum, gash, hairy banjo, ham wallet, lips, minge, muff, pussy, quim, slit, snatch, the pink, twat, vertical smile, whisker biscuit, wizard's sleeve; see also Thesaurus:vagina and Thesaurus:vulva
• (buttocks): arse, ass, booty, bum, butt, hiney, keester, tush, tushie; see also Thesaurus:buttocks

Derived terms

• fanny about
• fanny around
• fanny bag
• fanny batter
• fanny dipper
• fanny fart
• fanny flaps
• fanny magnet
• fanny merchant
• fanny pack
• fanny pad
• fanny rat
• granny's fanny

 

Translations

vulva or vagina — see pussy

buttocks — see ass,‎ bum

Sexual intercourse with a woman — see pussy

Etymology 2

The British naval slang sense derives from Fanny Adams. Tins of mutton introduced as rations were not liked by the sailors and were taken by them to contain the butchered remains of Fanny Adams who had been brutally murdered and dismembered. The tins were re-used for eating from and cooking with.

Noun

fanny (plural fannies)

1. (UK, naval slang) Mess kettle or cooking pot.
   • 2005, Patrick Halliday, Survival, page 24:

     I put on a big fanny of Ky, that is a straight-sided pot of cocoa for them returning.

See also

• Fanny Adams

References

• “fanny” in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2004.