# On the meaning of merkin
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-meaning-of-merkin/31598
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [September 1, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-meaning-of-merkin/31598 "2000-09-01T03:50:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@stippy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stippy)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-meaning-of-merkin/31598/1 "2000-09-01T03:50:27Z")
merkin \Mer"kin, n. Originally, a wig; afterwards, a mop for cleaning cannon.
Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Interesting in that the type of wig is not specified, but the derivative is quite suggestive.
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2000, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-meaning-of-merkin/31598/2 "2000-09-01T14:56:13Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL).
Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:
[What is a merkin? (21-May-1993)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_232.html)
The column can also be found on pages 232-234 of Cecil Adams’ book “[_Return of the Straight Dope_](http://www.straightdope.com/otheroutlets/books.html)”.