What does "sissy" mean?
An effeminate boy or man.
Sissy
/ˈsɪsi/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An effeminate boy or man.
- Grammar: sissy is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: milksop, afraid, aunt, auntie.
- Useful contrasts: brave, bravery, courage.
- Usage evidence: Mary said that Tom was a sissy.
How to use "sissy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sissy" 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 "sissy" 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 "sissy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sissy" 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 "sissy" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, 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 "milksop" 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 "sissy", 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 An effeminate boy or man. colloquial, derogatory, sometimes
- 2 Urination; urine. childish, colloquial, uncountable
"She has to make. She has to make sissy."
- 3 a timid man or boy considered childish or unassertive wordnet
- 4 A timid, unassertive or cowardly person. colloquial, derogatory, sometimes
"This was all part of football and if any man was such a sissy he could not stand it, then he had better seek the sidelines."
- 5 A male crossdresser who adopts feminine behaviours.
"I realised I still held my normal male clothes and dropped them to the floor under the desk, out of the way. […] Would it hurt? Yes, I knew it would from watching videos of sissies being spanked by their dominant mistresses."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Sister; often used as a term of address colloquial, dated
""I so glad - so glad the wicked thing not hurt my sissy!" and in that moment of thankful joy the two children embraced each other with fond affection."
Verb
- 1 To urinate. childish, colloquial
"Joan recognized her as the girl whose son had sissied on her pants. She was still dabbing at her pantleg with a damp paper towel."
- 2 To sissygasm (reach orgasm solely by penetration of the anus). intransitive, rare, slang, vulgar
Adjective
- 1 Effeminate. derogatory
"Frontiersmen were never afraid of poetry. It was Big Business with its fear of femininity, it was the eunuchoid clergy capitulating to vulgar masculinity that made religion and art sissy things."
- 2 Cowardly. derogatory
Adjective
- 1 having unsuitable feminine qualities wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A diminutive of the female given name Cecilia.
"‘Sissy is not a name,’ said Mr. Gradgrind. ‘Don’t call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia.’ ‘It’s father as calls me Sissy, sir,’ returned the young girl in a trembling voice, and with another curtsey."
Antonyms
Example
"Mary said that Tom was a sissy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sissy"?
Common synonyms include: milksop, afraid, aunt, auntie, baby, big baby.
How do you use "sissy" in a sentence?
Mary said that Tom was a sissy.
How do you pronounce "sissy"?
Pronounced /ˈsɪsi/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From sis (“clipping of sister”) + -y.
Etymology 2
Likely onomatopoetic, perhaps related to French pipi (“urine”). Compare piss; wee-wee.
Etymology 3
Clipping of sissygasm.