Piss
/pɪs/noun
Urine or the act of urinating; also used as a vulgar intensifier or insult.
Did you know?Piss was once a relatively ordinary English verb, but over time it became strongly vulgar; its ultimate origin is uncertain and may reflect ancient imitative or nursery language.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient period
Greek
πίσσειν (píssein)
“To urinate; a possible ancient cognate, though the wider root’s origin is debated”
Classical Latin
Latin
pissāre
“To urinate; a vulgar or colloquial verb”
Late Latin
Vulgar Latin
*pissiāre
“A reconstructed popular form meaning to urinate”
12th–13th Century
Old French
pissier
“To urinate”
14th Century
Middle English
pissen
“To urinate”
Modern English
English
piss
“To urinate, urine, or—figuratively—a vulgar expression of anger, contempt, or dismissal”