entry
peter
/ˈpiːtər/A masculine name; also vulgar slang for penis
From Greek petr (stone).
from Greek Petros , literally "stone, rock" (see petrous ), a translation of Syriac kefa "stone" (Latinized as Cephas...
from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res , dative Pet(e)re )
from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res , dative Pet(e)re )
Word Ancestry
from Greek Petros , literally "stone, rock" (see petrous ), a translation of Syriac kefa "stone" (Latinized as Cephas...
from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res , dative Pet(e)re )
from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res , dative Pet(e)re )
A fisherman named Simon was given a startlingly solid nickname: Petros, Greek for “rock.” In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “You are Peter,” using the image of a foundation stone for the future Christian church. The name traveled from Greek Petros into Latin Petrus and then through Old English, eventually becoming one of medieval England’s most familiar names; its French relatives include Pierre and the older Anglo-French Piers, which helped produce surnames such as Pierce and Pearson. Wait, really? The apparently earthy family also includes petrous, “rocklike,” and petrify, as though Peter’s whole linguistic clan were quietly carrying a quarry around. By 1902, English speakers were also using peter as slang for the penis, probably because the name’s opening sound resembled other male-name euphemisms such as dick and willy—so one ancient “rock” ended up with a decidedly anatomical afterlife.
The Story
A fisherman named Simon was given a startlingly solid nickname: Petros, Greek for “rock.” In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “You are Peter,” using the image of a foundation stone for the future Christian church. The name traveled from Greek Petros into Latin Petrus and then through Old English, eventually becoming one of medieval England’s most familiar names; its French relatives include Pierre and the older Anglo-French Piers, which helped produce surnames such as Pierce and Pearson. Wait, really? The apparently earthy family also includes petrous, “rocklike,” and petrify, as though Peter’s whole linguistic clan were quietly carrying a quarry around. By 1902, English speakers were also using peter as slang for the penis, probably because the name’s opening sound resembled other male-name euphemisms such as dick and willy—so one ancient “rock” ended up with a decidedly anatomical afterlife.
Modern Usage
Vulgar slang for the penis
Notable References
- The slang sense is attested from 1902.
Kin & Kindred
From 'petr'·stone, rock
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary