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Definition Essay, What Is The Origin Of The Word Slut?

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The word slut means many things to many different people. It can simply mean dirty and untidy or it can mean a woman who is promiscuous and dresses in an improper way. The word slut has a negative connotation that is typically used to degrade women. The word slut is just another word to criticize a woman’s sexuality. This word, along with many others, has helped launch a Feminist Movement that works to promote equality and expose the double standard. When a man has many sexual partners he is a stud, but when a woman engages in sexual activity she is permanently labeled a slut or whore. This double standard exists because when a woman engages in natural sexual activity it is negative, but when a man engages in sexual activity it is celebrated. …show more content…

In fact, the word slut essential means messy or dirty according to its definition from the 14th century Oxford English Dictionary. The earliest known usage of slut comes from the Canterbury Tales and it states, “Why is the lord so sluttish...”. It is obvious that the quote has nothing to do sex, but it is talking about a man's untidy appearance. A slut was a dirty person known to be of a low birth rank. The definition of the world slut as many people know it today was first referenced in 1651 as a “women with low or losse character; a bold impudent girl.” Still, the word is not directly associated with sexual behavior. The word’s meaning as we know today started in the 20th century as a slut became “ a woman of loose morals” (Jones 1). According to Google, the definition of slut is “a woman who has many casual sexual partners.” This word is just one of many that depicts a woman's sexuality in a negative way

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