[Ads-l] Stealth

[Jesse Sheidlower]

In this context we should also take note of the word _stealthing_, referring to the nonconsensual and/or surreptitious removal of a condom during intercourse; OED has this to 2011, in an entry published in 2022.

Jesse Sheidlower

On Fri, Jan 30, 2026 at 06:57:35PM -0800, Nancy Friedman wrote:
> This discussion reminded me of the time in the mid-1990s that I was hired
> to name a new condom. My research included collecting many rival condom
> brands, one of which was called Stealth. Its elaborately die-cut cardboard
> package resembled a B-2 "Stealth" bomber; its slogan was "They'll Never See
> You Coming."
> 
> Northrop (later Northrop Grumman), the manufacturer of the bomber, had
> petitioned the USPTO to deny the Stealth condom a U.S. trademark. In his
> defense, the condom manufacturer said it was unlikely that anyone would
> confuse his product with an $800 million plane.
> https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-24-fi-3017-story.html
> 
> The condom company did get its trademark filing approved, but the
> registration was cancelled in 1998.
> 
> 
> Nancy Friedman
> Chief Wordworker
> web: wordworking.com <http://www.wordworking.com>
> substack https://fritinancy.substack.com/
> Medium <https://medium.com/@wordworking>
> 
> tel 510 652-4159
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> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Jan 30, 2026 at 6:22 PM Bill Mullins <amcombill at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > James Landau:
> >
> > "In this sentence does "stealth" refer to reconnaissance planes designed
> > to avoid detection, or to a secret/unadvertised/hidden program to develop
> > such planes?"
> >
> > The former.  Later in the article reference is made to "'stealth'
> > aircraft".
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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