What does "fanny" mean?
The female genitalia.
Fanny
/ˈfæni/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The female genitalia.
- Grammar: fanny is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: buttocks, ass, bum, butt.
- Useful contrasts: anterior, clinical term, focus.
- Usage evidence: The fanny pack is back in style.
How to use "fanny"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fanny" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fanny" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fanny" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fanny" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fanny" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "buttocks" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fanny", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The female genitalia. Australia, British, Ireland, New-Zealand, South-Africa, countable, uncountable, vulgar
"Her dress was so short you could nearly see her fanny."
- 2 Mess kettle or cooking pot. UK, slang
"I put on a big fanny of Ky, that is a straight-sided pot of cocoa for them returning."
- 3 external female sex organs wordnet
- 4 The buttocks; arguably the most nearly polite of several euphemisms. Canada, US, countable, informal, uncountable
"Children, sit down on your fannies, and eat your lunch."
- 5 the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Sexual intercourse with a woman. UK, countable, uncountable, vulgar
"get some fanny tonight"
- 7 Women, regarded as sex objects. UK, uncountable, vulgar
"This club is full of fanny."
Proper Noun
- 1 A diminutive of the female given name Frances, itself also becoming a given name.
""My name is Frances. Don't call me Fanny!" "Why not?" "Because it's too absurd to be endured! What does the mere sound of Fanny suggest? A flirting dancing creature - plump and fair, and playful and pretty!""
Example
"The fanny pack is back in style."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fanny"?
Common synonyms include: buttocks, ass, bum, butt, posterior, rear.
How do you use "fanny" in a sentence?
The fanny pack is back in style.
How do you pronounce "fanny"?
Pronounced /ˈfæni/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
19th century. Ultimately from Fanny, pet form of the name Frances. Compare dick, John Thomas, mickey.
Etymology 2
The British naval slang sense derives from Fanny Adams. Tins of mutton introduced as rations were not liked by the sailors and were taken by them to contain the butchered remains of Fanny Adams who had been brutally murdered and dismembered. The tins were re-used for eating from and cooking with.