# On the Etymology of "Horny"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-etymology-of-horny/535295
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [April 7, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-etymology-of-horny/535295 "2010-04-07T17:02:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@blackplates](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackplates)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-etymology-of-horny/535295/1 "2010-04-07T17:02:01Z")
That was a thoughtful answser cecil. I did not know that the word horny went that far back in english tho. the UK variant is “randy” and i know that goes back at least as far as the 18th century. i believe “horny” may be some original american slang english, i believe it goes back as far as the victorian 19th century, and i believe it was originally as a reference to the horns of a satyr. satyr’s were of course, always “horny” both literally and otherwise. a common 18th century english phrase to desribe a state of (male) arousal was , “riotous as a satyr”. i believe “horny” was an abbreviated form of this usage.
---
### Author:  [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-etymology-of-horny/535295/2 "2010-04-07T21:55:17Z")
Column in question?
[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/248/whats-the-origin-of-horny](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/248/whats-the-origin-of-horny)
---
### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-etymology-of-horny/535295/3 "2010-04-07T23:03:40Z")
> [@blackplates](#):
>
> a common 18th century English phrase to describe a state of (male) arousal was , “riotous as a satyr”. i believe “horny” was an abbreviated form of this usage.
I can’t find that phrase in any book using Google Book Search. If it was a common usage, or even a one-off, it doesn’t show up. Upon what are you basing your claim?