English word origin

Etymology of wussy

1960s: probably an alteration of pussy, perhaps a blend of wimp + pussy, or short for pussy-wussy (reduplication of pussy). Compare later wuss.

1 source sectionExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 1 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗

adj

Weak or timid.

noun

A wuss; a person who refuses to perform a particular task due to an unreasonable fear.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

1960s: probably an alteration of pussy, perhaps a blend of wimp + pussy, or short for pussy-wussy (reduplication of pussy). Compare later wuss.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Blend componentwimpen
Blend componentpussyen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "blend",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "wimp",
        "3": "pussy",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "blend of wimp + pussy"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "pussy",
      "pussy#English"
    ],
    [
      "wimp",
      "wimp#English"
    ],
    [
      "pussy",
      "pussy#English"
    ],
    [
      "pussy-wussy",
      "pussy-wussy#English"
    ],
    [
      "pussy",
      "pussy#English"
    ],
    [
      "wuss",
      "wuss#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Weak or timid."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
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      "rawRecordSha256": "7cca1b1b883943de245d9e0075dbd1c8fc897665f2bc8c3b4ddd84d2baf643d1",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 569136
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A wuss; a person who refuses to perform a particular task due to an unreasonable fear."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "7a505f5fe596c3cff0a3429c76ea48e2ceece7838ef72c677930d74e13508db8",
      "rawRecordSha256": "ebffb765e9d98524914485db0f57ba4b4c7c6287fa4753e9da01eb0bb7078484",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 569137
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for wussy →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-d3Vzc3k