Poes
/puːəs/noun
A vulgar South African English term for the vulva or vagina, borrowed from Afrikaans.
Did you know?Afrikaans poes comes from Dutch poes, meaning “cat,” a word also connected with English puss and pussy; the sexual sense developed through a widespread feline euphemism.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Dutch
Dutch
poes
“Cat; a familiar or childish name for a cat”
17th Century
Dutch
poes
“Cat, with the word also used as a vulgar euphemism for female genitalia”
17th–18th Century
Afrikaans
poes
“Cat; later a strongly vulgar term for the vulva or vagina”
20th Century
South African English
poes
“A borrowed vulgarism, especially associated with South African speech”
Modern English
English
poes
“A South African English slang term for the vulva or vagina”