Etymology of "broad" = [approx.] "gal"

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Thu Jun 26 01:29:27 UTC 2008


At 8:56 PM -0400 6/25/08, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>Do any of the esteemed lexicographers or etymologists have a position
>(or a notion) regarding the origin of "broad" as a slang term applied to
>a woman?
>
>I know of the following conjectures or possibilities:
>
>(1) from "bawd";
>
>(2) from adjective "broad" (referring to hips or whatever);

I always assumed it was whatever.  But I have no evidence for the assumption.

LH

>
>(3) from "broad" = "playing card"/"ticket" (etymology asserted in a 1914
>citation in HDAS);
>
>(4) from "abroad" or from "broad" = "journey";
>
>(5) from German "Braut" (usually = "bride"), or some cognate.
>
>Are there other contenders available?
>
>Is there any solid etymology?
>
>If not, is there a favorite or default hypothesis?
>
>-- Doug Wilson
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list