213:, gives a more precise meaning of the word, particularly to its connotation in the United States: A person, who is almost always male, who considers himself of much greater moral or social importance than everyone else; who allows himself to enjoy special advantages and does so systematically; who does this out of an entrenched sense of entitlement; and who is immunized by his sense of entitlement against the complaints of other people. He feels he is not to be questioned, and he is the one who is chiefly wronged.
311:
said to Chavez on national television: "I'm going to perhaps shock you a little, but these are your words. You called
President Bush an asshole,"—to which Chavez replied, "I've said various things about him. I don't know if I actually used that word."
134:
Its earliest known usage in newspaper as an insult was 1965. As with other vulgarities, these uses of the word may have been common in oral speech for some time before their first appearances in print. By the 1970s,
117:
The metaphorical use of the word to refer to the worst place in a region (e.g., "the arsehole of the world"), is first attested in print in 1865; the use to refer to a contemptible person is first attested in 1933.
285:
was a "major league asshole." The gaffe was caught on microphone and led to a political advertisement chiding Bush for "using expletives... in front of a crowd of families," produced for
Democratic opponent
159:
caused a major shock when he uttered the word during a televised MTV awards show in 1989. However, there were PG-13 and R rated films in the 1980s that featured use of the word, such as the R-rated
921:
Sharpe, B. M., Hyatt, C. S., Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (2022). “They Are Such an
Asshole”: Describing the Targets of a Common Insult Among English-Speakers in the United States.
114:, the Latin word "anus" was glossed with earsĂ°erl, literally "arse-thrill" (thrill being a noun with the original meaning of "hole" such as in nostril, meaning "nose hole").
560:
1549:
155:
Until the early 1990s, the word was considered one of a number of words that could not be uttered on commercial television in the United States. Comedian
620:
251:) may also be used as a term of contempt, referring to a silly or stupid person. In the United States (and, to a lesser extent, Canada), the words
207:, generally to describe people who are viewed as stupid, incompetent, unpleasant, or detestable. Moral philosopher Aaron James, in his 2012 book,
835:
489:
678:
803:
728:
320:
177:(1985). By 1994, however, vulgarity had become more acceptable, and the word was featured in dialog on the long-running television series
189:), the word is partially bleeped out, as "assh—". A variant of the term, "ass clown", was coined and popularized by the 1999 comedy film
216:
This word or its literal translation is found in colloquial speech in a number of cultures besides
English because it describes both an
131:
quotes a snippet of verse that uses the term: "All these white folks dressed so fine / Their ass-holes smell just like mine ...".
183:, though it has yet to become anything close to commonplace on network TV. In some broadcast edits (such as the syndication airings of
298:
167:
897:
957:
589:
457:
713:
651:
381:
1614:
556:
867:
585:
527:
612:
1195:
1583:
95:
1145:
303:
1619:
1055:
1015:
990:
950:
825:
479:
1624:
1399:
1200:
1150:
1095:
779:
668:
31:
17:
793:
736:
293:
In
February 2004, American media reported that during a rally of supporters, Venezuelan President
1338:
1318:
1120:
128:
1629:
1170:
1060:
316:
51:
1453:
1308:
1155:
1085:
985:
943:
515:
1165:
345:
149:
8:
1523:
1503:
1473:
1313:
830:
673:
452:
352:
1498:
1278:
1135:
995:
767:
277:
209:
173:
137:
511:
297:
was reported to have called Bush "an asshole" for believing his aides in supporting a
1414:
1409:
1404:
1283:
1105:
889:
709:
647:
425:
377:
581:
447:
1588:
1373:
1323:
1100:
1025:
926:
332:
156:
700:
McLachlan, James M. (16 September 2015), McCraw, Benjamin W.; Arp, Robert (eds.),
1568:
1303:
1293:
1240:
1110:
484:
324:
221:
1463:
1419:
1175:
1140:
1125:
1045:
1030:
268:
161:
87:
294:
1609:
1603:
1394:
1378:
1363:
1333:
1205:
217:
145:
1438:
1343:
1273:
1255:
1130:
1065:
1050:
966:
930:
432:
397:
191:
857:
1578:
1430:
1388:
1368:
1265:
1230:
1180:
1035:
1020:
282:
272:
111:
152:", which includes the line "Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole."
1528:
1513:
1468:
1448:
1383:
1298:
1288:
1250:
1215:
1090:
1000:
328:
308:
225:
185:
141:
magazine featured people they did not like as "Asshole of the Month."
71:
67:
1488:
1328:
1010:
862:
798:
705:
204:
179:
123:
59:
535:
1573:
1478:
1458:
1115:
1075:
335:
debate on hospice funding. He later publicly defended his comment.
38:
27:
English insult describing the anus, usually used to refer to people
1533:
1518:
1483:
1443:
1348:
1185:
287:
244:
1493:
1353:
1245:
1220:
1070:
980:
935:
240:
106:
is first attested from 1500 in its literal use to refer to the
1358:
1160:
331:
as an arsehole after Lewis refused to let him intervene in a
229:
58:(in all other major varieties of the English language) is a
1508:
1235:
1225:
1210:
1190:
1080:
1040:
1005:
107:
63:
376:(revised second ed.). Houghton Mifflin. p. 60.
110:. The word evolved from "arce-hoole" (circa 1400), as in
102:, meaning "buttocks" or "backside". The combined form
30:
This article is about the insult. For other uses, see
374:
American
Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots
37:"Ahole" redirects here. For the Hawaiian fish, see
826:"Chavez Calls Bush 'Asshole' as Foes Fight Troops"
424:
267:In 2000, during a Labor Day event, then-candidate
1601:
1550:List of films that most frequently use the word
121:In the ninth chapter of his 1945 autobiography,
613:"How America Became a Country Full of Assholes"
951:
660:
604:
557:"How Office Space Coined the Term Ass Clown"
271:made an offhand remark to his running mate,
733:Organisasi.Org Community And Library Online
958:
944:
760:The grammatical versatility of taboo terms
757:
669:"Who's the A-hole? Field-testing a thesis"
646:. New York: Random House. pp. 5, 27.
699:
729:"Asshole In Other Language Than English"
390:
327:was recorded describing health minister
666:
610:
427:Historical Dictionary of American Slang
422:
371:
14:
1602:
806:from the original on December 12, 2009
492:from the original on February 24, 2021
445:
301:. In September of the following year,
939:
702:Philosophical Approaches to the Devil
641:
460:from the original on December 6, 2008
232:parts of the body in many societies.
228:, both of which are considered to be
168:National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
900:from the original on 6 February 2008
592:from the original on 20 October 2011
858:"Transcript: Hugo Chavez Interview"
24:
915:
890:"MP defends himself over swearing"
870:from the original on March 9, 2021
838:from the original on July 15, 2019
758:Napoli, Donna Jo; Hoeksema, Jack.
721:
667:Keohane, Joe (November 25, 2012).
623:from the original on July 30, 2021
611:Schager, Nick (October 31, 2020).
574:
262:
25:
1641:
681:from the original on July 2, 2019
504:
965:
446:Lerner, Michael (May 28, 1965).
404:. Online Etynological Dictionary
882:
850:
818:
786:
751:
693:
635:
563:from the original on 2020-10-26
549:
520:
472:
439:
416:
365:
13:
1:
359:
203:The word is mainly used as a
144:In 1972, Jonathan Richman of
1584:Terminology of homosexuality
198:
86:in English derives from the
7:
1615:Pejorative terms for people
586:Webster's Online Dictionary
338:
299:coup against Chávez in 2002
10:
1646:
991:Baseball metaphors for sex
794:"A 'major league asshole'"
77:
36:
29:
1561:
1542:
1428:
1400:Top, bottom and versatile
1264:
973:
448:"A refreshing radicalism"
372:Watkins, Calvert (2000).
171:(1989), and the PG-rated
528:"MTV Video Music Awards"
259:have become synonymous.
165:(1984), the PG-13-rated
32:Asshole (disambiguation)
247:of its zoological name
931:10.1525/collabra.32552
866:. September 16, 2005.
534:. 1989. Archived from
74:) to refer to people.
52:North American English
1086:Girlfriend experience
834:. February 29, 2004.
802:. September 4, 2000.
642:James, Aaron (2012).
90:(reconstructed) word
62:used to describe the
923:Collabra: Psychology
559:. 20 February 2019.
510:Janovitz, Bill.
423:Lighter, J. (1994).
346:Ascent of the A-Word
896:. 1 February 2008.
831:The Washington Post
453:The Harvard Crimson
353:The No Asshole Rule
148:recorded his song "
96:Proto-Indo-European
1543:In popular culture
1499:Golden Age of Porn
644:Assholes: A Theory
402:www.etymonline.com
278:The New York Times
210:Assholes: A Theory
174:Back to the Future
1620:English profanity
1597:
1596:
1106:Italian profanity
739:on 15 August 2011
715:978-1-317-39222-4
653:978-0-8041-7135-9
488:. April 9, 1979.
383:978-0-395-98610-3
235:The English word
66:, and often used
16:(Redirected from
1637:
1625:1930s neologisms
1589:Glossary of BDSM
1374:Lipstick lesbian
960:
953:
946:
937:
936:
910:
909:
907:
905:
886:
880:
879:
877:
875:
854:
848:
847:
845:
843:
822:
816:
815:
813:
811:
790:
784:
783:
777:
773:
771:
763:
755:
749:
748:
746:
744:
735:. Archived from
725:
719:
718:
697:
691:
690:
688:
686:
664:
658:
657:
639:
633:
632:
630:
628:
608:
602:
601:
599:
597:
578:
572:
571:
569:
568:
553:
547:
546:
544:
543:
524:
518:
508:
502:
501:
499:
497:
480:"Out like Flynt"
476:
470:
469:
467:
465:
443:
437:
436:
430:
420:
414:
413:
411:
409:
394:
388:
387:
369:
333:Westminster Hall
321:Leeds North West
317:Liberal Democrat
157:Andrew Dice Clay
21:
1645:
1644:
1640:
1639:
1638:
1636:
1635:
1634:
1600:
1599:
1598:
1593:
1569:Human sexuality
1557:
1538:
1424:
1304:Butch and femme
1260:
1241:Unicorn hunting
1111:Latin profanity
969:
964:
918:
916:Further reading
913:
903:
901:
888:
887:
883:
873:
871:
856:
855:
851:
841:
839:
824:
823:
819:
809:
807:
792:
791:
787:
775:
774:
765:
764:
762:. Vol. 33.
756:
752:
742:
740:
727:
726:
722:
716:
698:
694:
684:
682:
665:
661:
654:
640:
636:
626:
624:
617:The Daily Beast
609:
605:
595:
593:
580:
579:
575:
566:
564:
555:
554:
550:
541:
539:
526:
525:
521:
509:
505:
495:
493:
478:
477:
473:
463:
461:
444:
440:
421:
417:
407:
405:
398:"ass-hole (n.)"
396:
395:
391:
384:
370:
366:
362:
341:
325:Greg Mulholland
265:
263:Political usage
201:
80:
42:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1643:
1633:
1632:
1627:
1622:
1617:
1612:
1595:
1594:
1592:
1591:
1586:
1581:
1576:
1571:
1565:
1563:
1559:
1558:
1556:
1555:
1546:
1544:
1540:
1539:
1537:
1536:
1531:
1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1464:Deep-throating
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1435:
1433:
1426:
1425:
1423:
1422:
1420:U-Haul lesbian
1417:
1412:
1407:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1386:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1270:
1268:
1266:LGBTQ-specific
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1176:Rusty trombone
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1146:Pearl necklace
1143:
1141:Party and play
1138:
1133:
1128:
1126:Mile high club
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1046:Deep-throating
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
977:
975:
971:
970:
963:
962:
955:
948:
940:
934:
933:
917:
914:
912:
911:
881:
849:
817:
785:
750:
720:
714:
708:, p. 44,
692:
659:
652:
634:
603:
573:
548:
519:
503:
471:
438:
415:
389:
382:
363:
361:
358:
357:
356:
349:
340:
337:
269:George W. Bush
264:
261:
220:as well as an
200:
197:
162:The Terminator
129:Richard Wright
88:Proto-Germanic
79:
76:
70:(as a type of
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1642:
1631:
1630:English words
1628:
1626:
1623:
1621:
1618:
1616:
1613:
1611:
1608:
1607:
1605:
1590:
1587:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1566:
1564:
1560:
1554:
1553:
1548:
1547:
1545:
1541:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1436:
1434:
1432:
1427:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1393:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1206:Soggy biscuit
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1056:Dirty Sanchez
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
978:
976:
972:
968:
961:
956:
954:
949:
947:
942:
941:
938:
932:
928:
924:
920:
919:
899:
895:
891:
885:
869:
865:
864:
859:
853:
837:
833:
832:
827:
821:
805:
801:
800:
795:
789:
781:
769:
761:
754:
738:
734:
730:
724:
717:
711:
707:
703:
696:
680:
676:
675:
670:
663:
655:
649:
645:
638:
622:
618:
614:
607:
591:
587:
583:
577:
562:
558:
552:
538:on 2011-07-11
537:
533:
529:
523:
517:
513:
512:Pablo Picasso
507:
491:
487:
486:
481:
475:
459:
455:
454:
449:
442:
434:
429:
428:
419:
403:
399:
393:
385:
379:
375:
368:
364:
355:
354:
350:
348:
347:
343:
342:
336:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
315:In 2008, the
313:
310:
306:
305:
300:
296:
291:
289:
284:
280:
279:
274:
270:
260:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
233:
231:
227:
223:
219:
218:intimate part
214:
212:
211:
206:
196:
194:
193:
188:
187:
182:
181:
176:
175:
170:
169:
164:
163:
158:
153:
151:
150:Pablo Picasso
147:
146:Modern Lovers
142:
140:
139:
132:
130:
126:
125:
119:
115:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
75:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
48:
40:
33:
19:
1551:
1439:Ass to mouth
1391:/stone femme
1131:Motherfucker
1066:Donkey punch
967:Sexual slang
922:
902:. Retrieved
893:
884:
872:. Retrieved
861:
852:
840:. Retrieved
829:
820:
808:. Retrieved
797:
788:
759:
753:
741:. Retrieved
737:the original
732:
723:
701:
695:
685:February 17,
683:. Retrieved
672:
662:
643:
637:
625:. Retrieved
616:
606:
594:. Retrieved
576:
565:. Retrieved
551:
540:. Retrieved
536:the original
531:
522:
506:
494:. Retrieved
483:
474:
462:. Retrieved
451:
441:
433:Random House
426:
418:
406:. Retrieved
401:
392:
373:
367:
351:
344:
314:
302:
292:
276:
266:
256:
252:
249:Equus asinus
248:
236:
234:
215:
208:
202:
192:Office Space
190:
184:
178:
172:
166:
160:
154:
143:
136:
133:
122:
120:
116:
103:
99:
91:
83:
81:
68:pejoratively
55:
46:
45:
43:
1579:Sexual slur
1431:pornography
1389:Stone butch
1369:Gay-for-pay
1319:Chickenhawk
1231:Turkey slap
1196:Snowballing
1181:Serosorting
1036:Cum tribute
1021:Circle jerk
1016:Chickenhead
776:|work=
627:October 13,
295:Hugo Chávez
283:Adam Clymer
273:Dick Cheney
112:Old English
94:, from the
1604:Categories
1529:Stunt cock
1514:Money shot
1469:Downblouse
1449:Centerfold
1384:Soft butch
1299:Bugchasing
1289:Bi-curious
1251:Whale tail
1216:Teabagging
1091:Glory hole
1001:Blue balls
842:August 24,
810:August 13,
567:2020-10-21
542:2011-05-25
408:24 October
360:References
329:Ivan Lewis
309:Ted Koppel
226:defecation
186:South Park
72:synecdoche
1509:MILF/DILF
1489:Gang bang
1329:Cottaging
1171:Red wings
1011:Camel toe
863:Nightline
799:Salon.com
778:ignored (
768:cite book
706:Routledge
582:"Asshole"
464:August 6,
304:Nightline
281:reporter
239:(meaning
205:vulgarity
199:Semantics
180:NYPD Blue
124:Black Boy
82:The word
60:vulgarism
44:The word
1574:Sexology
1479:Felching
1459:Cum shot
1454:Creampie
1339:Down-low
1116:Mama-san
1101:Hot Karl
1076:Felching
1026:Cornhole
986:Bareback
925:, 8(1).
898:Archived
874:June 27,
868:Archived
836:Archived
804:Archived
679:Archived
674:New York
621:Archived
590:Archived
561:Archived
516:AllMusic
490:Archived
458:Archived
339:See also
104:arsehole
56:arsehole
39:Flagtail
18:Assholes
1562:Related
1534:Upskirt
1524:Rosebud
1519:Paysite
1484:Fluffer
1444:Bukkake
1349:Fag hag
1314:Chicken
1294:Breeder
1201:Soaking
1186:Shemale
1166:Quickie
1151:Pegging
1096:Hogging
1061:Dogging
974:General
532:MTV.com
319:MP for
288:Al Gore
275:, that
245:cognate
138:Hustler
78:History
47:asshole
1504:Insert
1494:Gokkun
1474:Facial
1354:Femboy
1246:Wanker
1211:Switch
1156:Pirate
1136:Nookie
1071:Douche
1031:Cougar
1006:Bottom
981:Banjee
904:14 May
743:30 May
712:
650:
596:30 May
496:May 8,
380:
241:donkey
92:*arsaz
1415:Twink
1410:Troll
1405:Trade
1395:Swish
1379:Queen
1364:Fruit
1359:Femme
1334:Daddy
1309:Butch
1284:Beard
1256:Whore
1161:Pussy
307:host
230:taboo
222:organ
100:*ors-
98:word
54:) or
1610:Anus
1552:fuck
1344:Dyke
1324:Chub
1279:Bear
1274:Bara
1236:Twat
1221:Tits
1191:Slut
1081:Fuck
1051:Dick
1041:Cunt
906:2015
876:2020
844:2017
812:2008
780:help
745:2011
710:ISBN
687:2016
648:ISBN
629:2021
598:2011
498:2020
485:Time
466:2008
410:2023
378:ISBN
255:and
253:arse
243:, a
224:for
108:anus
84:arse
64:anus
50:(in
1429:In
1226:Top
1121:Mat
996:BBC
927:doi
894:BBC
514:at
257:ass
237:ass
1606::
892:.
860:.
828:.
796:.
772::
770:}}
766:{{
731:.
704:,
677:.
671:.
619:.
615:.
588:.
584:.
530:.
482:.
456:.
450:.
431:.
400:.
323:,
290:.
195:.
127:,
959:e
952:t
945:v
929::
908:.
878:.
846:.
814:.
782:)
747:.
689:.
656:.
631:.
600:.
570:.
545:.
500:.
468:.
435:.
412:.
386:.
41:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.