A small songbird of the family Paridae, including chickadees and titmice. Vulgar slang for breast.
From Old English 'tit' meaning 'small horse' or 'small creature'. Applied to small birds in the 14th century. The anatomical slang developed later through diminutive associations.
The innocent bird name 'tit' demonstrates how language can develop unfortunate secondary meanings over time. Birdwatchers and ornithologists must navigate this linguistic minefield when discussing perfectly respectable chickadees and titmice.
This word has dual meanings: the bird (neutral, from Old Norse) and a derogatory slang term for female breast/women. The slur usage became prevalent in 20th-century English to demean women.
Use only in ornithological contexts (blue tit, great tit). Avoid in informal settings where the slur meaning could surface.
["bird species name (specify: blue tit, etc.)","when referring to chest: breast, chest"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.