gunsel

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌnsəl/

Etymology 1

From Yiddish גענדזל (gendzl, “gosling”).

Noun

gunsel (plural gunsels)

1. A young man kept for homosexual purposes; a catamite.
   • 1929, Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon:

     The boy’s eyes […] ran over Spade’s body from shoulders to knees, […] ¶ “Another thing,” Spade repeated, glaring at the boy: “Keep that gunsel away from me while you’re making up your mind. I’ll kill him. […] ”

2. (street and prison slang) A passive partner in anal intercourse.

Etymology 2

By misunderstanding of the 1929 Maltese Falcon quotation above (which survived in a popular 1941 film adaptation). The novel was originally serialized in a magazine, Black Mask, whose editor refused to allow vulgarities. Hammett used the word gunsel knowing that the editor would likely misunderstand it as relating to gun, and therefore allow it.

Noun

gunsel (plural gunsels)

1. A gun-carrying hoodlum or other criminal.

Anagrams

• Leungs, lunges