dick
/dɪk/
noun
Origin
Germanic
Rīkaharduz — brave ruler
Overview
Meaning Now
- A diminutive form of the name Richard.
- Slang for a detective or investigator.
- Vulgar slang for the penis.
Language path
Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
Dik
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The transition of 'Dick' from a common nickname for Richard to various slang meanings illustrates the tendency in English to use generic masculine names as placeholders for objects or roles, a process also seen with terms like 'Jack' or 'Tommy'.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*Rīkaharduz
“brave ruler”
Original compound Germanic name.
- Old English
Ricard
“Richard”
Introduced or popularized in England via the Normans.
- Middle English
Rick
“Richard”
Formation of the common hypocorism.
- 13th century
Dick
“Richard”
Rhyming variation of Rick, common in Middle English name formation.
- 19th century
dick
“detective”
Likely from 'detective' shortened to 'tec' or related slang.
- late 19th/early 20th century
dick
“penis”
Attested as slang, likely an extension of the name Dick as a term for a man, later specified to the phallus.
Connections
Word parts
Dick
root
diminutive of Richard
Related across languages
German
Richard
Richard
French
Richard
Richard
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Related to dick
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.