# What are the origins of Hissy,  i.e. Hissy Fit

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 22, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238 "2011-02-22T16:34:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/1 "2011-02-22T16:34:49Z")

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I had one heck of a hissy fit yesterday. 😃 I expressed concerns about a certain problem in a loud and definitive manner.

Yup, guys have hissy fits too. But, many people think it only applies to women. That’s not true in my family or people I know. 😉

So what the heck is a hissy? What are the origins of the word?

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**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/2 "2011-02-22T16:43:07Z")

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I wouldn’t be surprised if it shared a root etymology with the word “Hysterical.”

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**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/3 "2011-02-22T16:45:19Z")

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I presume that it’s meant to evoke the image of a hissing cat.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/4 "2011-02-22T17:02:43Z")

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I’ve always assumed the same as **Diogenes**.

I’d be surprised if it turned out to be related directly to “hysterical”.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/5 "2011-02-22T17:33:21Z")

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[Etymonline.com](http://Etymonline.com) says it comes from hiss, without further expansion.

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**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/6 "2011-02-22T19:03:05Z")

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Cats, possums, geese, swans, and other things hiss when angry, often for little cause, a hissy fit.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/7 "2011-02-22T19:06:03Z")

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:eek: An angry cat is definitely a scary thing. I’ve seen a pissed off tomcat send a German Shepard running for cover. 😃

That could be the origin of hissy fit. I wouldn’t be surprised.

> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> I presume that it’s meant to evoke the image of a hissing cat.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/8 "2011-02-22T19:07:27Z")

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I agree with **Diogenes the Cynic** , **CalMeacham** , \*and \ ***Exapno Mapcase**!

(Wow. You don’t hear that very often ;))

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-origins-of-hissy-i-e-hissy-fit/572238/9 "2011-02-22T23:20:16Z")

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U.S. in origin, 20th Century.

Most authorities suggest a link with _hysterics_, but offer no evidence.