# The Origins Of The F\*\*\* Word?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 16, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265 "2001-03-16T18:23:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jeffism15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeffism15)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/1 "2001-03-16T18:23:27Z")
I heard a story recently that the origins of American Englishes worst curse word came from the Medieval Times when literacy was low. I was told that the F word acronym for something, which i cannot remember.
Is any of this true, or just a good story to appease the masses?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/2 "2001-03-16T18:47:57Z")
[**F** or **U** nlawful **C** arnal **K** nowledge](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_268b.html).
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### Author:  [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2001, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/3 "2001-03-16T20:46:38Z")
a) No, it’s not based on an acronym.
b) It’s a basic Anglo-Saxon word meaning, “to have sex with”. When the Normans invaded a lot of everyday A/S words were replaced by Latinate terms, eg fuck–\>copulate
c) This has been discussed 18 millions times. Use the Search, please. It’s in the upper right hand corner.
–John
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### Author:  [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/4 "2001-03-16T21:33:22Z")
What **Yue Han** said. And what Cecil said in **Attrayant** ’s link. Words that predate the 20th century are almost never acronyms. For the definitive work on **fuck** , check out [url=“[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375706348/o/qid=984778029/sr=8-1/ref=aps\_sr\_b\_1\_1/107-2869591-0925333](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375706348/o/qid=984778029/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_1/107-2869591-0925333)”]The F-Word\*\* by Jesse Sheidlower.
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### Author:  [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/5 "2001-03-16T21:46:22Z")
Oops. Some mod may want to fix that post.
Here’s the correct link: [The F-Word](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375706348/o/qid=984778029/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_1/107-2869591-0925333) by Jesse Sheidlower.
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### Author:  [@Llardball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llardball)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2001, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/6 "2001-03-17T03:52:54Z")
I remember it being an acronym for Fornication Under Consent of the King. I believe this was used in Spain some time ago. Apparently, it meant that certain people had to ask permission to fornicate for reasons unbeknownst to me.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2001, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/7 "2001-03-17T05:03:12Z")
**Llardball** , please note that your acronym was addressed by Cecil in the link provided by **Attrayant**.
It is still a false etymology:
-we _know_ where the word came from (a Germanic word meaning _thrust_ or _strike_) and
-acronyms tend to be a rather recent phenomenon in English.
I _am_ curious as to the origin of the _story_ that the acronym you heard was Spanish in origin. As nearly as I can work it out, had the phrase started in Spanish, the acronym would have been CSCR.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origins-of-the-f-word/58265/8 "2001-03-17T16:29:59Z")
The OP said F\*\*\*. Lets see, what word could it be? fork, from, ?