Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

merkin

/ˈmɜːkɪn/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.01 in modern English

Syllables
merkin
IPA
/ˈmɜːkɪn/
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage appearances and by women, originally after shaving their pubic hair to eliminate lice or for other reasons, now often as a fashion item.

noun

A mop for cleaning cannon.

noun

The male counterpart of a beard, a companion to a lesbian to feign her straightness.

Slang

noun

An American.

British usage; Derogatory; Slang

adj

American.

British usage; Derogatory; Slang

Example Sentences

Etymology

First attested in 1617, probably a variant form of malkin, from Malde + -kin.

Origin

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /ˈmɜːkɪn/

Usage

Inflected Forms

merkins (plural) 'merkin (alternative) murkin (alternative) 'murkin (alternative) more merkin (comparative) most merkin (superlative)

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce merkin?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmɜːkɪn/.
What does merkin mean?
A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage appearances and by women, originally after shaving their pubic hair to eliminate lice or for other reasons, now often as a fashion item.
Where does merkin come from?
First known use: First attested in 1617.

How to pronounce merkin

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “merkin”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈmɜːkɪn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “merkin”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “merkin” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.