merkin

English

Etymology 1

1617, probably a variant form of malkin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɜːkɪn/

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)kɪn

Noun

merkin (plural merkins)

1. A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage appearances and by women, originally after shaving their pubic hair to eliminate lice or for other reasons, now often as a fashion item.
   • 1973, Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow:

     ... his penis squashed invisible under a flesh-colored leather jockstrap, over which he wears a false cunt and merkin of sable both handcrafted in Berlin by the notorious Mme. Ophir, the mock labia and bright purple clitoris molded of — Madame had been abject, pleading shortage — synthetic rubber and Mipolam, the new polyvinyl chloride...

2. A mop for cleaning cannon.
3. (LGBT, slang) The male counterpart of a beard, a companion to a lesbian to feign her straightness.
   • 1996 Jan 10, Colin Wright, "Tori Spelling & Patrick Muldoon on NBC Movie", alt.showbiz.gossip, Usenet

     Well, I seem to recall Tori and Patrick being seen together, and a reference in People comes to mind, with a photo attached. I'm not for sure that Patrick is completely gay, but he's at least bi according to a person I know with first hand experience. Perhaps we have a dual merkin-beard relationship here, eh?

Translations

pubic wig

• Dutch: schaampruik f
• German: Schamhaartoupet
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: merkin m
• Spanish: peluca púbica f

See also

• codpiece
• vonk

Etymology 2

Representing an aphetic pronunciation of American.

Alternative forms

• 'merkin, Merkin, 'Merkin; murkin, 'murkin, Murkin, 'Murkin

Noun

merkin (plural merkins)

1. (British, slang, derogatory) An American.

Anagrams

• mirken

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Finnish

Noun

merkin

1. (deprecated template usage) genitive singular of merkki

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Icelandic

Noun

1. definite nominative plural of merki
2. definite accusative plural of merki