crap
/kræp/
noun
Origin
Late Latin
crappa — chaff, husks, or dregs
Overview
Meaning Now
- excrement; faeces.
- something of poor quality or rubbish.
- nonsense or lies.
Literal older meaning
chaff, dross, or residues of grain or metal.
Language path
Late Latin → Middle Dutch → Middle English → English
Earliest form
crappe
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word originally referred to agricultural waste like chaff. It evolved into slang for excrement in the 19th century. Despite popular belief, it was already in use before the widespread adoption of toilets manufactured by Thomas Crapper.
Evolution
- Late Latin
crappa
“residue or chaff”
- Middle Dutch
crappe
“dregs or refuse”
- Middle English
crappe
“chaff from grain”
- 19th century English
crap
“faeces”
Euphemistic shift and intensification of the earlier sense of 'refuse'.
Connections
Word parts
crap
root
refuse or dross
Related across languages
Middle Dutch
krappe
clipping or refuse
Explore next
Related to crap
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.