Maquereau
/ˌmækəˈroʊ/noun
A pimp; also, a mackerel fish in French.
Did you know?The slang sense of French *maquereau* is historically linked to the fish name, but the exact path is debated; scholars note that French slang often repurposed animal names for people in underworld speech.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
macerellus
“A small fish (source form for the French fish name, via later development).”
Old French
OF
macereau / maquerel
“Mackerel, the fish.”
Middle French
MF
maquereau
“Mackerel; later, in slang, a pimp or procurer.”
17th Century
French
maquereau
“Established slang term for a pimp.”
Modern French
FR
maquereau
“A pimp; also mackerel in standard usage.”