Bint

/bɪnt/ noun

Definition

Slang term, primarily British and now considered offensive, for a young woman or girl.

Etymology

Possibly from Arabic bint meaning 'girl' or 'daughter,' brought to English through colonial contacts in the Middle East and Egypt. Originally used neutrally but evolved into derogatory slang.

Kelly Says

The word bint shows how language can travel along colonial trade routes—it entered English from Arabic but became a socially loaded insult, revealing how the same word can have completely different power depending on context and history.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Slur originating from Arabic 'bint' (daughter) as used derogatorily in British English to demean women. The shift from neutral to vulgar occurred in 20th-century military and working-class usage, encoding gendered contempt into a seemingly casual term.

Inclusive Usage

Avoid entirely outside historical/linguistic contexts. If referencing the term itself, name it as dated slur rather than using it directly.

Inclusive Alternatives

["woman","girl","person"]

Related Words

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