con (French)

Where does "con" come from?

The French noun 'con' is inherited from the Latin word 'cunnus'[1], which carries an uncertain origin but is probably ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European[1]. The Latin term stems from the root '*(s)ker-', meaning 'to cut', with an original sense of 'gash' or 'slit'[2]. Over time, the French term shifted from its anatomical meaning to also designate a stupid person.

Open questions

• The ultimate Proto-Indo-European derivation of the Latin root remains uncertain. [1] [2]

Full etymology tree

• con (French), '(dated) cunt, pussy (the female genitalia)'
  • inherited cunnus (Latin), 'vulva, vagina (the female genitalia including their external as well as internal parts)'
    • derived *(s)ker- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to cut off, sever'

Ancestors

• cunnus (Latin)

Sources

1. con (French) - Wiktionary
2. cunnus (Latin) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

More words starting with C

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris