Origins of the Word “Fuck”

fuck

The word ‘fuck’ is of Germanic origin. It means ‘to move back and forth’ and has several senses. Its earliest citation dates to 1503 and is most likely borrowed from Low German. Nevertheless, the word has no cognates outside German. Here are some examples of the word’s origins. During the Middle Ages, it was common for people to perform fornication in secret and wear placards stating their wrongdoing.

Despite its history as a taboo word, ‘fuck’ has continued to be used in spoken speech, and is now commonly used in conversations and movies. From 1795 until 1965, the word was not even written down. Then, in 1966, the Penguin Dictionary broke the taboo by adding it to its second edition. Its popularity among people grew so quickly, however, that it has become a controversial word.

It is believed that fucking A arose from phrases such as “you’re fucking A-number-one right” and “you’re fucking A, number-one.” The word A-number-one, which means first-class, has a long history in American English. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase “fuck an A” has its roots in 1838, when ship builders used the Lloyd’s Register to classify ships in the best condition.