Etymologically
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pute

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Pronunciation

Forms

pute f (plural putes)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French pute, the feminine of the Old French adjective put (“stinking; bad, vile”) used as a noun,[2][3][4][5] which continues inherited from Latin pūtidus (“stinking, rotten”), from pūteō (“to rot, stink”).[2][3][1] The adjective is found from about 1100 (in put aire (“of base stock”)), and survives in eastern French dialects in the sense “ugly”.[2][4] putain was its oblique case.[1]

Littré instead derived it from a Latin *puta (“girl”), feminine of putus (“boy”), arguing that the word had no bad sense in itself, Wiktionary gives both explanations, the TLFi prefers the first.[6][1]

Compare Old Occitan puta (mid-12th century, Marcabru), Spanish puta and Italian putta.[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The First Continuation of Perceval (about 1200) has it for a prostitute, especially as a term of abuse.[2] Anglo-Norman texts have pute from 1121–35.[7]

Semantic evolution

Guillaume de Lorris (about 1240) uses pute as an adjective for “lascivious, debauched”.[5] The word has always been coarse; it now serves both for a prostitute and as an insult for a woman thought promiscuous (fils de pute), and, as an adjective, for a person who will stoop to anything.[4][2]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – The adjective put, Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • 1121–35 – Anglo-Norman pute.[7]
  • Mid-12th century – Old Occitan puta, Marcabru.[2]
  • c. 1200 – Pute “prostitute”.[2]
  • c. 1240 – Adjective “lascivious”, Guillaume de Lorris.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (vulgar) A prostitute, whore.[4][1]
  2. (vulgar, offensive) A woman considered promiscuous, fils de pute, son of a bitch.[4][1]
  3. (vulgar) Coup de pute: a dirty trick.[1]

Adjective

  1. (vulgar) Of a person, ready to stoop to anything to get what they want.[4]

Word family

  • puer
  • putride

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)