Fuck
/fʌk/noun
A vulgar term used to refer to sexual intercourse or as an expletive.
Did you know?The word 'fuck' is believed by some scholars to have originated from an Old English term meaning 'to strike' or 'to penetrate', linking it to ancient fertility rites.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fukōną
“to strike or to penetrate, implying violent action.”
Old English
OE
fokken
“to copulate; originally a term used in a more neutral context.”
Middle Dutch
MDu
fokken
“to breed, to beget; connected to animal husbandry.”
15th Century
English
fuck
“to have sexual intercourse; evolved into a vulgar term.”
18th Century
English
fuck
“became widely recognized as a taboo expletive.”
20th Century
English
fuck
“solidified as a versatile and powerful curse word in modern vernacular.”