# Fits - both hissy and coniption - origins?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 6, 2000, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858 "2000-02-06T22:39:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/1 "2000-02-06T22:39:00Z")

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I’ve heard (and used) the phrases “hissy fit” and “coniption fit”. Any basis in reality, or just made up?

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**Author:** ![jaydabee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c89c15/32.png) [@jaydabee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaydabee)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/2 "2000-02-06T23:14:00Z")

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You must not have cats, a hissy fit  
desribes a two cats feeling each other out before a fight. They hiss at each other to show they are displeased about something (who  
knows what). Sometimes it goes no further than hissing, (sorry, my bad). Sometimes it leads up to an all out “cat fight” (fur flying and all that).

A coniption? Not really sure, but it sounds like a made of phrase to me, like dohicky or whatcamacallit.

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/3 "2000-02-06T23:20:00Z")

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My Webster’s defines _conniption_ as “a fit of anger, hysteria, etc.; tantrum: also **conniption fit**.”

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/4 "2000-02-06T23:21:00Z")

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I’ve got cats - two females. They don’t fight a lot. I didn’t know that was the origin of the phrase, though.

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**Author:** ![tbea925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@tbea925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbea925)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/5 "2000-02-06T23:24:00Z")

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conniption n. [arbitrary pseudo-Latin coinage] a fit of anger, hysteria, etc.; tantrum.

Why pseudo-Latin? Why not quasi-Latin?

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**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fits-both-hissy-and-coniption-origins/6858/6 "2000-02-06T23:29:00Z")

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From Meriam Webster online:

> [@](#):
>
> Main Entry: hissy  
> Pronunciation: 'hi-sE  
> Function: noun  
> Etymology: perhaps by shortening & alteration from hysterical  
> Date: circa 1934  
> chiefly Southern & southern Midland : TANTRUM – called also hissy fit

I have 3 cats, and the 2 females are almost always in the state of a hissy fit, if they are anywhere near each other.