Women’s breasts are a source of nutrition and survival for infants. They are also known as mammary glands. What are other words for breasts? What could have been the medieval word for breasts, and what is the meaning of boobs? These questions are raised whenever you hear someone referring to breasts as boobs. Today, you will know more about the names and history of breasts.
1. Medieval Word for Breasts
- According to the Green’s Dictionary of Slang, the name for breast in 1500 was paps.
- From 1590 to 1600, the word that became synonymous with breasts was pooby.
- It is believed that the term has been inspired by the Spanish word bobo or the Latin word balbus.
- But towards 1680, a word became the slang word for breasts. That word was bubby. During the next century, the name developed. Now, people call them apples, globes, or lily-white balls. These words for breasts were not used respectfully. (Also read Is Dunce A Bad Word?)
2. Different Meaning of Boobs
- In Central Africa, the word bobo or boob was used to define a person with speech defects. A person who had difficulty speaking or spoke stupid things more often was regarded as a bobo.
- It may also refer to a person who does not speak the local language.
- In Portuguese, the word boob means fool. Though the word’s origin was Latin, it was spread in different regions when the Portuguese colonized East Africa.
So the word boob was one of the words for breasts, but who knows that they would have such a different meaning too. (Also read Ahoy Hoy Meaning and Usage)
3. Mention of Breasts in Literary Works
- The first recorded reference of the word bubby or plural word bubbies was mentioned in a poem featured in the book New Poems by Thomas D’urfey in 1686.
- After this, the words appeared in pamphlets of John Arbuthnot, which were issued in 1712.
- The word bubbies again appeared in a book, but the book was an educational one this time. The Family Dictionary volume two by Richard Bradley was based on the methods women can try different and lose their breast milk. This topic is aimed at helping women produce breast milk but cannot feed the infant. The mention was, Let her put chervil (a type of herb) on her bubbies. (Also read Infinite Monkey Theorem Proof)
4. Bubby Changed into Boobies
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there have been several references where the word bubby was written. And it was because of this that the term boobies originated somewhere around the 1920s. People started converting this word according to their requirements.
- Among several other words for breasts, they found boobs sounds less offensive.
- This word is considered even by most ladies because they find it easy to say. It is understandable by everyone.
- Boobies do not sound vulgar or unacceptable to ladies in most of the words. (See Discreetly vs Discretely)
While there are several other synonyms for the word breasts, they sound awkward when said. Some such words are chesticles, fun jugs, tities, or God’s milk jugs. Most of these synonyms do not sound bad but in society, you can not use them like regular words. (Also read What is a Slam Dunk?)
Today, you learned about other words for breasts as early as the 1500s. You also came across the medieval word for breasts and the meaning of boobs mentioned in the Green’s Dictionary of Slang in different languages. It also tells us about the other senses in which they were being used. (Also read I Can See Russia From My House)
