bitch

1 of 2

noun

ˈbich

Synonyms of bitch next

: the female of the dog or some other carnivorous mammals

The behavioral endocrinology of both male dogs and bitches is quite unique and differs from that of most other mammals …—

Ian Dunbar

compare dog entry 1 sense 1b

informal + often offensive : a malicious, spiteful, or overbearing woman

informal + offensive

—used as a generalized term of abuse and disparagement for a woman

informal : something that is extremely difficult, objectionable, or unpleasant

Aspirin overdoses are a bitch to treat.—

Pamela Grim

July and August were always a bitch in the subway.—

Harold Robbins

informal : complaint

"My biggest bitch with all of CBS' golf is there's no personalization."—

Chuck Howard

bitch

2 of 2

verb

bitched; bitching; bitches

intransitive verb

: complain

transitive verb

: spoil, botch

bitched up their lives

: cheat, double-cross

: to complain of or about

Example Sentences

Noun That word is a bitch to spell. tiresome members of the tour group who had one bitch after another Verb He bitched constantly about his old car, but he doesn't like his new one either. those guys are always bitching about something

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bicche, going back to Old English bicce, perhaps going back to a Germanic noun with varying final consonants and inflectional class, whence Old Norse bikkja "female dog," German (from 15th century) Petze, Betze

Verb

derivative of bitch entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1823, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of bitch was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century