# Where the F\*\*\* did “cum” come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 8, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184 "2007-01-08T18:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/1 "2007-01-08T18:20:24Z")
Who is the ignoramus who decided to spell “come” as “cum” when referring to semen. If I am not mistaken, the derivation of this would be related to the verb “come” as in to come to an orgasm. The male result of doing so would then also be “come”. So how did this morph to “cum”? Some mentally challenged graffiti artist is my guess. So, Dopers, let’s not perpetuate this bastardization; discontinue the use of “cum” and replace it with “come”. We can do this!! ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/2 "2007-01-08T18:35:01Z")
Come again. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/3 "2007-01-08T18:36:40Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] If I am not mistaken, the derivation of this would be related to the verb “come” as in to come to an orgasm. [/QUOTE] IIRC, “come” is a Latin pun originated by Regency-era wits, based on the similarity of the goddess of love, Venus, and the Latin root which we use in such words as venue. My betters will clarify shortly. As to the stupidification “cum” for "come,’ the problem is that dumbshits are just as sexual as Regency-era wits, and so are allowed their input as well. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/4 "2007-01-08T18:39:11Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Who is the ignoramus who decided to spell “come” as “cum” when referring to semen. [/QUOTE] Probably some cumstain. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/5 "2007-01-08T18:42:12Z")
I hate it too - every time I see it written in a post, it makes me think the author was a 14-year-old horny highschool student. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/6 "2007-01-08T18:43:08Z")
I’m pretty sure the change was made by the same people who named the Kwik Kar Wash down the street. Why they didn’t therefore decide to spell it “Kum” is not immediately apparent, however. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/7 "2007-01-08T18:43:12Z")
It’s sometimes spelled differently for clarity’s sake. “I decided to come over to your house so you and I could make each other cum.” See? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/8 "2007-01-08T18:43:39Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Come again. [/QUOTE] Come on, stop that! ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/9 "2007-01-08T18:43:50Z")
It makes me horny. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/10 "2007-01-08T18:45:05Z")
I blame the [Gay Community](http://archives.stupidquestion.net/sq10603.html). ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/11 "2007-01-08T18:46:26Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Come again. [/QUOTE] Well, I’ll try, but it’s likely to be at least another twenty minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/12 "2007-01-08T18:47:04Z")
Urban Dictionary was, as usual, immensely unhelpful in tracking down an origin for the spelling. But I thought this definition/usage comment was helpful: > [@](#): > > Used to differentiate between the less risque meaning of the word “come” and the sexual connotation, which can either mean the act of ejaculating or the actual liquid that comes out, called semen. The “mis”-spelling is always (other than in chatroom usage, which is an entirely separate rant) used to reference orgasm or ejaculate, clarifying the distinction it is sometimes necessary to draw whether sexual innuendo is intended or not. I’m less than impressed by the term/spelling, but I think it does serve a useful purpose in making that distinction, and that it’s not illiterate when used in the appropriate context and with the intent of drawing that distinction. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/13 "2007-01-08T18:53:06Z")
[QUOTE=El\_Kabong] I’m pretty sure the change was made by the same people who named the Kwik Kar Wash down the street. Why they didn’t therefore decide to spell it “Kum” is not immediately apparent, however. [/QUOTE] Probably the Krusty the Klown Konnotations. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/14 "2007-01-08T18:53:12Z")
11 people came in here inside 12 minutes. I’m impressed. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/15 "2007-01-08T18:57:44Z")
Is this a debate on which words were actually used for Quiet Riot’s greatest hit? ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/16 "2007-01-08T19:27:15Z")
The end of your pee-pee. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/17 "2007-01-08T19:29:10Z")
I prefer people us cum when refering to semen. It seems to cause less confussion. I think there should also be a different spelling for the past tense of cum. Not sure what would work well though. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/18 "2007-01-08T19:33:14Z")
See Dick cum. Cum Dick, cum. Dick cummeded all over the fucking place. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/19 "2007-01-08T19:33:41Z")
[QUOTE=boytyperanma] I prefer people us cum when refering to semen. It seems to cause less confussion. I think there should also be a different spelling for the past tense of cum. Not sure what would work well though. [/QUOTE] Why is there confusion? The context usually makes it pretty clear. If it’s not clear to you, I’ll definitely never invite you to come for dinner. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184/20 "2007-01-08T19:37:40Z")
I was introduced to the term, with this spelling, in 1974 by a Franciscan priest at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, CA. The same priest told the class that ejaculate “splashing” against a woman’s cervix was an important benefit for the woman’s pleasure, so we should be mindful of this before doing anything so inconsiderate as use a condom. Looking back, he might not have been the most reliable source of information. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-f-did-cum-come-from/387184.md?page=2)