four-letter word

The phrase four-letter word refers to a set of English words written with four letters which are considered profane, including common popular or slang terms for excretory functions, sexual activity, and genitalia.

Common four-letter words (in this sense) include: cunt, damn, fuck, shit, and twat. These, in addition to at least ten others, are widely considered vulgar or offensive to some degree.

Also in Polish, the word dupa ("ass") is called cztery litery ("the four letters").

A similar tradition in the Dutch language occurs with "three-letter words": (kut, pik, lul, gvd)

In French, the word merde ("shit") was sometimes referred to as les cinq lettres ("the five letters") before its use became widespread and mild.

In Latin, a common insult used to be "Es vir trium litterarum", meaning "you are a man of three letters". The underlying implication was that the addressed was a fur, meaning "thief", although if challenged, the speaker could always claim he simply meant vir, i.e. "man".

Tetragrammaton

Another interesting meaning of "four-letter word" (in Greek, tetragrammaton) is the Hebrew name of the Abrahamic god, that is, יהוה (commonly transliterated as "YHWH", "Yahweh", and "Jehovah"), which Jews did not speak aloud.

Quotation

Good authors too who once knew better words

Now only use four-letter words

Writing prose.

Anything goes.

— Cole Porter, "Anything Goes"

The fact that love is literally a four-letter word has been used in several popular songs, including "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word" written and performed by Bob Dylan, and "Four Letter Word" written by Ricky and Marty Wilde and performed by Kim Wilde. A television show called Love is a Four-Letter Word was produced by ABC in Australia. The band Cake, also made a play on words in their song "Friend is a Four Letter Word."

See also

• Maledicta